According to experts, the next few days will be critical for the tide of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Experts have noted Moscow will advance on its goals soon while Washington is looking to prolong the war, with observers highlighting it is not in the US interest to end at this moment now.
In what had been a long thought out plan, Poland finally agreed to provide all its MiG-29 fighter jets (28 planes in total) to the US, which in turn was supposed to hand them over to Ukraine and replace the Polish fleet with American made fighter jets. This was a strong request by the Ukrainian government.
Ukraine’s embattled armed forces desperately need warplanes. However, any new jets need to be ones that Ukrainian pilots have been trained to operate, which means they have to be Russian-made MiG-29 fighter jets.
Western countries have been increasingly supplying arms to Ukraine to avoid a swift Russian victory. But so far all the anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles transferred have only helped slow down the Russian advance.
Analysts say what is left of Ukraine’s air force will sustain further losses and it will soon reach the point where it is unable to defend itself from attack in the skies. A new fleet of warplanes would ensure (at least for a limited period) the air space above Ukraine remains contested, and would perhaps make Russia think twice about airstrikes on the capital Kyiv.
However, Washington appeared stunned by Poland’s announcement and the Pentagon has now dismissed the whole operation citing ‘logistical challenges’.
Was the whole idea just to boost Ukraine’s morale after Kyiv voiced its anger at its allies for lack of support?
Referring to the abandonment of Ukraine, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, affirmed that the wounded who fought the Israeli occupation are the witnesses in a time of denial, and evidence of the continuation of the resistance."
Nasrallah, who made the remarks during a speech on the annual Lebanese occasion ‘Day of the Wounded’ indicated that the events in Ukraine are very important in terms of lessons and lessons learned from them, and said, "Washington calls on Russia not to target civilians, so what does it have to say about the victims of American wars?"
Nasrallah recalled that American planes bombed Afghan weddings, and claimed that they were training centers for militants”, despite later acknowledging women and children had been killed.
In related context, the Secretary-General of Hezbollah asked, "What about the Israeli massacres and war crimes in occupied Palestine, and the siege of Gaza?" He added, "And what about the massacres of the Saudi coalition against civilians in Yemen? Why is the world silent about the siege of Yemen?"
Sayyed Nasrallah stressed that those who belong to the world of the white man are just a commodity and a tool for the Americans, adding that thousands of trial sessions must be held for the American and European armies because of their crimes all over the world.
He explained that the world was silent about the Takfiris' targeting of Friday prayers in Pakistan last week, stressing that Washington is not satisfied with not condemning the Israeli crimes in Palestine, but rather prevents the world from condemning them as well.
Sayyed Nasrallah declared that there is daily evidence in the world that trusting the Americans is stupidity, foolishness, ignorance, and neglect of the nation and the homeland, adding, we have all seen how the United States left Afghanistan and abandoned those who trusted it there."
He pointed out that several European countries, including Germany, did not want things in Ukraine to reach the point where they are now, and stressed that the United States and Britain pushed Ukraine into war.
He added, "Washington stresses daily that it will not send American planes and soldiers to Ukraine, despite the fact that it pushed the region to war”. He says Washington is effectively telling the Ukrainians “you fight [against Russia], we are not ready to fight for your sake.. the most we can do is impose sanctions because we have a goal to weaken Russia, the reality is your problems are not our problems.”
The Hezbollah Chief stressed that there is a feeling of betrayal and disappointment among Ukrainian officials, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has backed down, he is now ready to discuss Moscow's demands, if the US allows him because he knows clearly that those who promised to stand beside him and support him.. abandoned him."
On the level of humane treatment of refugees fleeing armed conflict, Sayyed Nasrallah clarified that dealing with refugees exposes discrimination based on religion, race, and color. Is this Western civilization?
Nasrallah addressed the Lebanese officials, saying that submission to American dictates will not save Lebanon, but rather will increase its problems.
The Hezbollah Secretary-General indicated that Lebanon voted against Russia at the United Nations, although it could have chosen to abstain from the vote, explaining that Lebanon is required to tell the Americans that the Lebanese are not slaves to it, as this is what sovereignty dictates.
Sayyed Nasrallah said, "The statement issued by the Lebanese Foreign Ministry regarding Ukraine was written in the US embassy," and asked, "Where is the disassociation that the government calls for? Why did the advocates of neutrality remain silent in front of the Lebanese statement?"
He added, "All the talk we heard about neutrality and disassociation is just an excuse to evade responsibilities towards the Palestinian cause and the war on Syria and Yemen," noting that "when it comes to the Americans, the talk about neutrality and disassociation disappears."
Nasrallah clarified, "The Foreign Ministry's statement regarding the Russian operation in Ukraine drops the lie and delusion that Hezbollah dominates the decisions made by the Lebanese state."
He asked, "If Hezbollah had dominated the state's affairs, would the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have issued a statement of this kind?"
On the issue of Lebanon's energy problems, Nasrallah revealed for the first time that a Russian company submitted to Lebanon an offer over the establishment of an oil refinery with Russian financial backing.
He added that the Russian company announced its readiness to secure all Lebanon's need for oil derivatives, and added that the company confirmed that it is able to sell oil derivatives in the Lebanese currency, not in US dollars.
Nasrallah said, "So far, Lebanon has not issued a response, after negotiations that lasted for a year and a half with the Russian company," noting that "the American embassy is preventing the Lebanese response to the Russian offer."
He explained that "the Americans are preventing Lebanon from moving towards the option with Russia without presenting an alternative."
Nasrallah reiterated that "if Hezbollah had dominated the decisions of the Lebanese state, the Russian offer would have been accepted a year and a half ago and the energy shortage problems would have been solved," calling on "Lebanese officials to take the decision and accept the proposal because the queues have returned in front of the gas stations."
The Secretary-General of Hezbollah concluded his speech by calling on the Lebanese state to "save all the Lebanese stranded in Ukraine, and to take care of those who managed to get out and reach Lebanon," and demanded that it "a minimum level of freedom, independence and patriotism, and to think about the country's interest."
