The end of February marks the second anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The conflict has long since developed into a brutal trench war in the east and south of Ukraine. Russia has built a land bridge from its territory to the Crimean peninsula, which it has annexed since 2014. Hundreds of Ukrainian and Russian soldiers are dying every day. The USA, Germany and the EU are supporting Ukraine in its defense with weapons, ammunition, training, financial resources and humanitarian aid. Peace negotiations, let alone the reconstruction of the country, are a long way off. While Republicans and Democrats in the US Congress are unable to agree on a new aid package, the European Council was able to initiate new aid deliveries worth 50 billion euros after a lengthy blockade by Hungary. At the same time, other geopolitical developments such as the war in the Middle East are diverting the West's attention away from Ukraine.

Is a war of attrition becoming more and more entrenched? Where was the West wrong in its assessment of the war, and what are the consequences? To what extent does the dispute in Congress affect US support for Ukraine? What would happen to US support for Ukraine if Donald Trump were to win the presidential election? Podcast host Stormy-Annika Mildner, Aspen Institute Germany, discusses these questions with Max Bergmann, Director of the Europe, Russia and Eurasia Program and the Stuart Center at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, D.C. and Julia Friedlander, CEO of Atlantik-Brücke.