Russia and Ukraine may not have expected that the United States would announce the time of the Ukrainian army's next counteroffensive. According to the information released by White House adviser Jake Sullivan, a new round of Ukrainian counteroffensive operations is expected to take place in 2025.
According to Sullivan, in 2024, that is, this year, the first thing Ukraine needs to do is to use large-scale military aid from the United States to withstand the peak of the Russian army's offensive. Because now Russia is also counterattacking, although the United States is already pushing forward with a plan of more than $60 billion to aid Ukraine, it is difficult to save the thirst from far away, and Ukraine must resist it first before it can prepare for next year's counteroffensive.
Considering Ukraine's climatic factors, including the severe cold in winter and spring, as well as the thawing, muddy and rainy conditions in spring, if the United States schedules Ukraine's counteroffensive for next year, it may be equivalent to giving Russia another year. And you know, the Russian-Ukrainian conflict has actually lasted for more than two years so far, and for Moscow, the extra year can do a lot of things.
Of course, Russia cannot be too optimistic, because the situation in Ukraine next year may take a major turn as heavyweight weapons such as F-16 fighter jets and "army tactical missile systems" are successively arming the Ukrainian army. The strength of the Ukrainian army may be raised to a level comparable to that of the Russian army, coupled with the various support of the United States and NATO behind it, Ukraine may find a new "turning point".
Western views claim that one of Ukraine's "ambitious goals" in 2024 is, in fact, to stand firm and be beaten. If Ukraine can survive this year, Russia still can't beat it, then it may be the Russian army that will be beaten later.
So while the U.S. announcement means that Ukraine will have another year to survive, Russia also needs to consider how to accomplish more military operations in this year. At the same time, both sides are also tentatively signaling negotiations. The final direction of the Russia-Ukraine conflict may indeed be determined this year and next.