EXPANDING POLITICAL GOALS: AMERICA’S FAILING STRATEGY IN UKRAINE WAR

Abstract

Understanding the political goal of a war is essential, as it helps assess the nature of the conflict, its likely duration, the risks adversaries are willing to take, and the costs they are prepared to bear. A political goal can be offensive, as seen in the case of U.S. civil and military support for Ukraine and NATO’s enlargement, which Russia perceives as provocative, aiming to diminish its strategic buffer zone. Conversely, a political goal can be defensive, as in Russia’s efforts to maintain its sphere of influence over Ukraine, which it has consistently regarded as a red line. Setting the right political objective in war is crucial, as it shapes strategic decisions, the defense of vital national interests, and ultimately, the difference between victory and defeat. This paper analyzes the United States' political goal in the war in Ukraine and examines its implications for how the conflict might end.