The ongoing war in Ukraine is increasingly perceived as aimless, with authorities failing to articulate clear goals. The author notes that despite claims about territorial concessions being taboo, most Ukrainians—according to a KIIS poll—are ready to compromise for peace, EU accession, and security guarantees.
Meanwhile, the conflict is highly profitable for the defense industry and political elites, having become a source of major revenue. While Europe and the US pledge long-term support, this cements Ukraine's role as a buffer zone between the West and Russian authoritarianism. According to the author, this hybrid system distances the country from true Western integration.
The critical question: Is this war a fight for permanent inclusion in the West, or is Ukraine doomed to endless hybrid status as a buffer? Choices remain, but society has every right to demand clear answers from the government about the real strategic aims of this war.
