M. K. BHADRAKUMAR wrote an exceptionally good article titled Biden’s existential angst in Ukraine. 

He comments on an op-ed in the Washington Post on Saturday titled Time is not on Ukraine’s side, coauthored by former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in George W. Bush presidency and Defence Secretary Robert Gates (who served under both Bush and Barack Obama)

I’ll highlight a few paragraphs:

On the same day as the op-ed appeared, Pentagon arranged, unusually for a Saturday, a Press briefing by Laura Cooper, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, International Security Affairs for Russia, Ukraine, Eurasia. Cooper stated explicitly that the war in Ukraine threatens the US’ global standing:

“From an overall strategic perspective, it is hard to emphasise enough the devastating consequences if Putin were to be successful in achieving his objective of taking over Ukraine. This would rewrite international boundaries in a way that we have not seen since World War II. And our ability to reverse these gains and to support and stand by the sovereignty of a nation, is something that resonates not just in Europe, but all around the world.”

The cat is out of the bag, finally — the US is fighting in Ukraine to preserve its global hegemony. Coincidence or not, in a sensational interview in Kiev, Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov also blurted out in the weekend that Kiev has consciously allowed itself to be used by NATO in the bloc’s wider conflict with Moscow!

and

Kevin McCarthy, who had former president Donald Trump’s backing, finally won (house speaker position) but only after making a series of concessions to the populist wing of the GOP, which has weakened his authority. The AP reported, “Fingers were pointed, words exchanged and violence apparently just averted… It was the end of a bitter standoff that had shown the strengths and fragility of American democracy.”

A senior Kremlin politician already commented on it. McCarthy himself, in his statement after election as the new House speaker, listed as his priorities the commitment to a strong economy, counteracting illegal immigration through the Mexican border and competing with China, but omitted any reference to the Ukraine situation or providing funds to Kiev.

and

… an article a fortnight ago by a top Russian pundit Andrey Kortunov in the Chinese Communist Party daily Global Times titled US domestic woes could push Ukraine to sidelines of American public discourse.

Kortunov wrote: “Putting emotions aside, one has to accept that the conflict has already become existential not only for Ukraine and Russia, but for the US as well: the Biden administration cannot accept a defeat in Ukraine without facing major negative implications for the US positions all over the world.”

In Europe, there is a sign of a bubble bursting as well where officials are questioning whether the US is their ally. Uncomfortable questions about the rising cost of living in Europe and subsidies for the industry in the US have increasingly started to come up from the podiums and media.  Also, for ordinary Europeans and for EU governments, it is not very comfortable to trade with an overseas ‘friend’ at prices 2-3 times higher than with Russia (before sanctions).  The thing is, if you look at it soberly, the country that profits the most from this war is the US, because they sell more gas and at higher prices, and because they sell more weapons.”   This is from the EU version of Politico:  https://www.politico.eu/article/vladimir-putin-war-europe-ukraine-gas-inflation-reduction-act-ira-joe-biden-rift-west-eu-accuses-us-of-profiting-from-war/

Ukraine is not about Ukraine.  Taiwan is not about Taiwan (a segue, China is hitting the pain dial around Taiwan more and more with large numbers of warplanes and ships doing drills in the area: https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202301/1283450.shtml  )

These hot spots are about the US trying like hell to hold on to its superior and single polar position of strength in the world, and they will plunder anyone in their way, even their own European allies.  It is too late – the Multipolar ship has sailed and if you are not on it, you’re going to have to beg for admission!

Conclusion:  Ukraine will most probably receive fewer war materials and less money from the US.  Europe complains it is clapped out!

It ain’t over till the fat lady sings.  Do I hear a fat lady beginning her voice practice in the background?  Perhaps one morning we will be entertained by a spectacle of the Ukraine just simply sitting down without any agency or ability to move on.

The complete narrative of unlimited support for Ukraine is now imploding.   Will we be entertained one morning soon here with European countries with shame on their faces asking Russia very nicely for oil and gas?  What a moment! (Oh, let me hold on to my little root of a dream!)  This moment in reality slightly reduces the probability of a larger war as some people in the collective west are figuring out that there will be Russians and Chinese and Iranians and Venezuelans, that will shoot back.