NATO member states have begun to consider the long-term consequences of a possible military defeat of Ukraine, US media reported.
Kiev's allies are reportedly increasingly doubting Ukraine's ability to contain Russian troops as $110 billion in aid to Kiev from Washington and Brussels stalls over political bickering.
"The impasse over aid from the US and Europe has Ukraine’s allies contemplating something they’ve refused to imagine since the earliest days of Russia’s invasion: that Vladimir Putin may win," the media said.
The outlet pointed to the words of US President Joe Biden. Last week, he promised to support Ukraine "for as long as we can." This is a reversal of earlier promises to do so "as long as it takes."
In addition, if Russia wins, the consequences of this "strategic failure" of NATO will be felt around the world and will surpass the effect of the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan in 2021, European diplomats believe, as such an outcome of the conflict in Ukraine will make Washington's allies question their promises to provide them with military assistance if necessary.
Apart from that, Ukraine's defeat on the battlefield will provoke an influx of Ukrainian refugees to the EU countries, which in turn will significantly increase the burden on the social services of these states and may aggravate the already existing tensions between them, the publication added.
On Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the West continues to wage a hybrid war against Russia, providing Kiev with real-time intelligence and transferring weapons. He also reiterated that Moscow will not abandon the goals of the special military operation in Ukraine, pointing out that Russian troops have the initiative in the Ukrainian conflict and are doing "everything necessary."