2024 analysed: Zelensky's year
World in 10
Deep Dive
What challenges has Zelensky faced in 2024?
Zelensky has faced manpower shortages, delays in Western military aid, territorial losses in the East, and restrictions on using the aid provided. Ukraine is also running low on manpower and ammunition, which has led to higher casualties and limited effectiveness in stopping Russian advances.
How has Zelensky's political position evolved in 2024?
Zelensky has consolidated his power by dismissing cabinet ministers and replacing them with loyalists, giving him more power than any president since Ukraine's independence. However, this has raised concerns about corruption and the need for a political reset if a ceasefire is reached.
What impact did the delay in US military aid have on Ukraine's war efforts?
The delay in delivering the $60 billion military aid package cost Ukraine many lives and put them at a disadvantage. Forces ran out of ammunition, limiting their ability to strike Russian advances, which allowed Russia to make creeping gains.
What was the outcome of Ukraine's incursion into Russian territory in Kursk?
Ukraine managed to hold onto some, but not all, of the territory gained. The incursion did not have the shock value Ukraine hoped for, as Putin controlled the narrative in Russian media. Only about a third of the territory remains under Ukrainian control.
How has Zelensky's stance on a possible peace settlement changed in 2024?
At the start of the year, Zelensky dismissed the idea of a negotiated peace, but by the end of 2024, he began actively discussing terms, such as offering NATO membership to parts of Ukraine not occupied by Russia, in response to the looming prospect of a Trump presidency.
What does the fall of the Assad regime in Syria mean for Ukraine?
The fall of Assad's regime shows that Russia is not as powerful as Putin portrays it to be. Russia's inability to support Syria indicates its limitations, which Ukraine sees as a sign that Putin's regime is weakening and that continued Western sanctions could further pressure Russia.
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