According to the WSJ, the main goal of the Kursk operation is to change the prevailing narrative that Ukraine is unable to stop the Russian Federation’s military power. According to American officials, the Kursk operation has three main goals: to force Russia to withdraw troops from eastern Ukraine, to refute the idea of a Ukrainian defeat on the battlefield, and to improve Ukraine’s position before possible peace negotiations.
All three goals have been partially achieved at this moment. The publication notes that, unlike previous operations, Ukraine kept the details of the operation a secret from the West. The WSJ calls the offensive by the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Kursk region a bold and risky bet by Zelenskyy. The White House is cautiously optimistic that Zelenskyy’s bet will pay off. The US is giving Ukraine space to conduct the operation and is trying to avoid public discussion of the issue.
At the same time, the Pentagon has questions about the “buffer zone”: Specifically, whether Ukraine plans to expand it, in what way, and whether Kyiv can control the captured territory.