(NewsNation) — Peace talks between Ukraine and Russia are taking place in Turkey following a series of surprise attacks by Ukraine over the weekend.
Ukraine says the drone attacks reportedly disabled 40 bombers, or a third of Russia’s bomber fleet, though Russia disputes those claims and says only a few of its planes were hit.
“This means Russia’s ability to strike into Ukraine will be severely limited,” John Herbst, former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, said. “It’s also good news to the United States, because those long-range bombers are nuclear weapons-capable.”
Herbst said if Ukraine’s estimates are correct, then it’s a plus for American nuclear security. He added that Russian President Vladimir Putin believes time is on his side in the three-year conflict and that he will be able to gain control over Ukraine and later other surrounding NATO nations if western support for Ukraine stops over time.
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“This is Putin’s game, and sadly, weak Western leadership has proved him right with his war on Georgia in 2008, his seizure of Crimea in 2014 and the not-quite adequate Western response to the big invasion in 2022,” Herbst said. “So he’s hoping Trump’s going to stop American military supplies to Ukraine. I think that may be a bad bet to Putin.”
Herbst said the war is a life-or-death matter for Ukraine, and just as Israel also does not notify the U.S. of major military initiatives it takes, Ukraine is doing the same thing to protect itself.
He added Russia realizes a major blow has been dealt to it, but it is downplaying the impact of the strike.
“It undermines the narrative that Russia will inevitably win this war,” Herbst said. “If American military supplies continue to Ukraine, or they have support from other European nations, Ukraine will not lose this war.
