One year later, what's happening in Ukraine? It's been one year since Russia launched its attack on Ukraine. And the war, initially expected to be short, still has no end in sight, with Ukraine putting up a stronger resistance than most had expected. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has pledged to retake all of Ukraine by the end of 2023. And in his recent speeches, Russian President Vladimir Putin has sought to prepare his country for a drawn-out fight. Let's take a look at the war and how the United States has responded to it. How Ukraine has surprised everyone by resisting Russia If Putin went into the war thinking he could quickly topple Ukraine, he vastly underestimated his foe. Few expected Ukraine to wage such a united front against the larger, more powerful Russian military. Bolstered by Western support, Ukraine has consistently outmaneuvered Russia's military throughout the past year. By the numbers So far, 100,000 Russian troops and 13,000 Ukrainian troops have been killed, according to Western leaders and Ukraine's military. The United Nations estimates that more than 8,000 civilians have died as a result of the war. That said, the actual death toll among civilians is suspected to be much higher. There's no perfect way to track fatalities while the war continues. More than 8 million out of about 44 million Ukrainians have fled the country since the war began, according to the United Nations. And early data shows that at least 500,000 Russains, and possibly closer to 1 million, have left their country since the invasion. Zelensky's shifting stance on negotiating with Russia Zelensky, once focused on negotiating with Russia to reach a peaceful resolution, has hardened his stance in recent months. "It is clear that with this Russian president, that is impossible," Zelensky said in September. "He doesn't know what honesty and dignity are. Therefore, we are ready for a dialogue with Russia — but already with a different Russian president." Zelensky later moderated his comments, saying Ukraine will negotiate with Russia even if Putin isn't removed, but his remarks marked a clear turning point in the nation's wartime posture. There's been speculation over whether a coup could bring Putin down, but experts say that's unlikely. Republicans divided on continued aid The United States has given Ukraine about $113 billion in aid since the war began. The largest portion has been directed toward the Ukrainian military, but billions have also gone toward the Ukrainian government and humanitarian aid. Initially, Republicans almost universally embraced aiding Ukraine. But a vocal minority of the GOP is calling for Congress to slow or stop sending money to the embattled country, an unusual stance given the party's traditional military hawkishness. And recent polling shows eroding public support for the assistance. About a quarter of Americans said in a recent Pew poll that too much aid is flowing to Ukraine, up six percentage points since September and 19 points since March, shortly after the war began. But party leaders including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky have said the United States and its allies must renew their resolve to help Ukraine as the war enters its second year. "If Putin were given a green light to destabilize Europe, invading and killing at will, the long-term cost to the United States in both dollars and security risks would be astronomically higher than the minuscule fraction of our GDP that we have invested in Ukraine's defense thus far," McConnell said in a statement Friday. Insulin maker vows to cut prices by 70 percent Pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly announced today it will slash prices of commonly prescribed insulins by 70 percent, along with capping patients' out-of-pocket costs for insulin at $35 a month. This long-awaited announcement comes on the heels of President Biden's February State of the Union address, during which he said insulin costs need to be brought under control. Eli Lilly and other insulin makers have been under pressure from lawmakers and advocates for years to lower the cost of the lifesaving treatment. A provision of the Inflation Reduction Act capped costs at $35 per month for seniors on Medicare but did not apply to people with private insurance or the uninsured. Eli Lilly's cap applies to people with private insurance, and the uninsured are eligible if they sign up for the company's co-pay assistance program. The Indianapolis-based company, one of the "big three" insulin makers, said its non-branded insulin will drop from $82.41 to $25 per vial, making it the lowest-priced mealtime insulin available. The next question is whether other companies will follow suit. "Last year, I signed a law to cap insulin at $35 for seniors and I called on pharma companies to bring prices down for everyone on their own. Today, Eli Lilly did that," Biden said in a statement. "It's a big deal, and it's time for other manufacturers to follow." | 
Email
No comments:
Post a Comment