CNN – Two articles published this week highlight Ukraine’s situation in its war with Russia. The Ukrainian military commander in chief admits that the battlefield has reached a stalemate, and a long attritional war favoring Moscow is likely. The other article portrays President Volodymyr Zelensky as exhausted from the constant effort to rally allies. Ukraine’s military chief, Gen. Valery Zaluzhny, acknowledges in an interview with the Economist that they have reached a technological stalemate similar to the First World War. He predicts devastating losses and destruction without a major breakthrough. Zelensky, in an interview with TIME, expresses his unwavering belief in victory but also the difficulty of convincing Ukraine’s allies to maintain faith. He is concerned that support from allies is diminishing. Despite this, Zelensky is determined to avoid a truce or negotiations as it would leave the wound open for future generations. Five months after Ukraine’s counteroffensive, the focus shifts to the Middle East and the risk of a broader regional conflict. Ukraine has only gained a small amount of land, while Russia still occupies a significant portion of the country. Ukraine is on the defensive in certain areas as Russia continues to pour resources into the battle. Zaluzhny highlights that Russia is ignoring the significant losses suffered by its army. The arsenal supplied by Ukraine’s Western allies and the mobilization of additional brigades have made little difference. Zelensky is fixated on victory and refuses to negotiate a truce. Zaluzhny believes a qualitative leap is needed to break the stalemate, but it will be challenging. Ukraine’s military chief lists five requirements for progress, including gaining air superiority, breaching mine barriers, improving counterbattery combat, creating reserves, and building electronic warfare capabilities. Zaluzhny acknowledges that Russia will maintain an advantage for some time. The Kremlin is satisfied with the stalemate, believing that its military strength will eventually break Ukrainian morale. The US sentiment towards Ukraine’s situation is shifting, with more Americans believing the US is doing too much to help Ukraine. The flow of military aid to Ukraine has been interrupted, and efforts to link aid to other funding priorities have faced opposition. Ukrainian officials feel betrayed by their Western allies, as the aid provided is enough to survive but not to win the war. Some US-made missiles and fighter jets will be deployed, but Ukraine still faces challenges in stabilizing the situation. The Achilles heel for Russia may be Crimea, as it plays a crucial role in resupplying troops and is the home of the Black Sea fleet. Although there have been missile and drone attacks, ATACMs have only recently been used against targets in Crimea. However, Ukrainian land forces are still far from the peninsula.