I haven't been following this war closely, just to clarify: has any western leader stated clearly that they'll support a total Ukraine victory no matter what?
If I'm not mistaken only UK seems to be leaning towards this, even Biden is ambiguous wrt the level support US is willing to provide, France/Germany are pretty weak in their support so can't count on them much. If no western political leader is behind the total victory option, you can't really blame Elon Musk for proposing a compromise, even though you may disagree with it. Without full and unconditional support from the west, there's no way for Ukraine to win a total victory.
For clarification:
- all of NATO (excepting Hungary);
- all of EU (excepting Hungary);
- and some other West-aligned nations (most notably Australia, but also in other ways Japan and South Korea);
... are fully onboard with Ukraine being restored to its pre-2014 borders, and all are supporting
in many and different ways as a team effort
There are many people running around pointing fingers at the efforts of different nations and wailing stuff. Some are doing this because they want to embarass X country to do more to help Ukraine. Some are doing this for internal political point-scoring. Some are doing this because they are Russian shills trying to sow division. Some are just useful idiots.
The ways are many and different for all sorts of reasons, some more valid than others.
It is not well understood exactly what is coming from each country, via which country, or paid for by which country. To an extent that does not matter because it is a team effort. Some countries are particularly reticent - as a for-eample the team effort includes keeping the West-aligned global energy system together for long enough to get off Russian supplies, and Japan and South Korea have both been supportive in shuffling LNG cargoes and floating LNG regasification terminals (and coal and oil) to enable more LNG to reach Europe, but this doesn't get 'talked-up' much. Another example is that French arms supplies are much higher than most reports indicate and they are in specific shortage categories, most notably early and sustained delivery of long range artillery and ammunition, but for all sorts of reasons the French don't big it up. And so on.
This stuff did not start in 2022. It started in a comprehensive fashion back in 2014 with the illegal Russian invasion of the Donbass and Crimea. Ever since then the collective West has been very heavily involved in making sure Ukraine was in a better position to resist as a society, a political entity, an economy, lawfully, and ultimately militarily. Specific examples are that the UN-GA voted through a resolution condemming the illegal annexation of Crimea (UN GA 68/262*) which is one of those 'forever' decisions that draw a clear line in the sand that miltary redrawing of borders cannot be justified. Other specific examples are that EU has replumbed its entire gas network since 2014 to enable it to flow backwards, from west to east, so as to be able to carry out the kind of emergency energy surge that is going on. Specifically Canada, UK, and USA have led on different aspects of military personnel training since 2014 with many of the results you see, and with many other smaller countries delivering specific training & equipment modules, e.g. in mine clearance, etc. Specifically EU and NATO have worked very closely together to bring revisions to laws onto the statute books of almost all EU nations so that military/defence equipment and personnel can flow easily without being held up for diplomatic clearance. Some of what you see now is more photogenic than others - so seeing Ukraine troops being trained by UK + Netherlands/etc instructors in Yorkshire is more photogenic than watching the inside of a French ammunition factory (where the cameras will never be allowed in), so one does not get a full picture from television news.
I could go on and on. Basically this is a steadfast effort put together over many years and by many people and by many nations, and it is holding together well and it is now delivering in full what was hoped would never be needed. Please note that this is just as importantly a EU effort as it is a NATO effort - this is not well understood. The kinetic battle will not be won unless the economic battle can be won; or for that matter the political and media battles. Over the last two decades NATO and EU have worked really hard to learn how to work together, and that effort is paying off.
For clarification the pre-2014 borders include the full return of Crimea + Luhansk + Donbass; and the full restoration of freedom of navigation through the Sea of Azov, the Kerch Strait, and the Black Sea; and the full return of various (frankly economically minor, but militarily significant**) offshore oil & gas fields and associated installations and islands.
I have absolute condemnation for some particular people in some particular countries that have repeatedly done their best to frustrate all this.
Above all else the people of Ukraine are delivering their end of the deal, and deserve all of our respect and all of our support.
I hope this answers your question.
*
United Nations General Assembly Resolution 68/262 - Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
** believe me, I know what I talk about in this area
