Ali and Ciorciari speculate what could result from weakening aid to Ukraine

November 13, 2022

With the war in Ukraine dragging on, some are wondering how long international aid to Ukraine will flow for. Javed Ali, associate professor of practice, and John Ciorciari, associate dean for research and policy engagement, told Newsweek what shrinking aid could look like for the war.

"(Ending aid) could likewise signal to (Russian President Vladimir) Putin and his inner circle that once that Western support recedes it would be time to accelerate parts of the Russian campaign that are flagging, or introduce new methods and capabilities that have not yet been utilized," Ali said. "It could also shore up his eroding domestic political position where he could point to the decline of Western support as an indicator of Russian success."

Ciorciari hypothesized how European players might act.

"Germany and other key players are likely loath to let other EU members off the hook by moving too easily to bilateral channels," he said. "However, if conditions continue to worsen in Ukraine, they may see little choice."

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