Sunday shows preview: Ukraine braces for new Russian assault after 50 days of invasion

The ongoing invasion of Ukraine, in which a new Russian assault is expected in the east after Moscow’s troops failed to capture the capital of Kyiv, is one of the major topics expected to dominate this week’s Sunday show circuit.

Earlier this month, the Pentagon confirmed that Russian forces had “completely withdrawn” from the ​​Kyiv and Chernihiv areas after Russia failed to seize the Ukrainian capital in the opening weeks of its invasion. A senior U.S. defense official said at the time that those forces were regrouping to Russia and Belarus.

Officials are now waiting and watching for an anticipated renewed offensive in Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region after the country has weathered more than 50 days of fighting — a length of time which highlights the fierce resistance Ukraine has put up to the onslaught from its more powerful neighbor.

One victory for Ukraine came earlier this week after the country struck the Moskva, the flagship of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, which caught fire and later sank. 

Though experts are divided on whether the sinking of the Russian warship might be an inflection point in the war, the attack was symbolic for Ukrainians after the Moskva told Ukrainian troops on Snake Island earlier on in the war to surrender. 

In response to the order, Ukrainians soldiers told the flagship to “f— itself” — an incident that has since been celebrated on Ukrainian stamps and become a rallying cry of resistance against Moscow.

On a more negative note for Ukraine, however, the director of the CIA and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky have both warned this week that Russia could possibly resort to using nuclear weapons.

“Given the potential desperation of [Russian] President [Vladimir] Putin and the Russian leadership, given the setbacks that they’ve faced so far militarily, none of us can take lightly the threat posed by a potential resort to tactical nuclear weapons or low-yield nuclear weapons,” CIA Director Bill Burns said Thursday following a speech at Georgia Tech. 

Burns noted that despite the Kremlin’s “rhetorical posturing,” the U.S. had not seen “practical evidence of the kind of deployments or military dispositions that would reinforce that concern.”

Zelensky also appeared to signal a shift in tone from last month over the possibility of Russian using nuclear weapons, saying in an interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper when asked if he was worried Putin may use such weapons against Ukraine, “Not only me — I think all of the world, all the countries, have to be worried.”

“They could do it, for them the life of the people [means] nothing,” Zelensky said. “We should think, not be afraid, be ready. But that is not a question … only for Ukraine but for all the world, I think so.” 

Zelensky is set to appear on CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday.

Added to these concerns is Russia’s escalatory rhetoric in response to the possibility of Finland and Sweden joining NATO.

Former Russian president and current deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council Dmitry Medvedev warned earlier this week that should the countries join the military alliance, Russia would have to “seriously strengthen the grouping of land forces and air defense, deploy significant naval forces in the waters of the Gulf of Finland.”

Russia has similarly opposed the possibility of Ukraine joining NATO.

In an interview with Sky News, Tytti Tuppurainen, Finland’s minister of European Affairs, said that it is “highly likely” that the country joins NATO given polling that demonstrates strong support for joining the military alliance. 

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal is set to appear on ABC’s “This Week” while Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba is set to appear on CBS’ “Face the Nation.”

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), who led a bipartisan delegation to meet with U.S. forces and allies in Poland amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict, is scheduled to appear on “Fox News Sunday.”

Below is the full list of guests scheduled to appear on this week’s Sunday talk shows:

ABC’s “This Week” — Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal; New York City Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell; New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D); Dr. Ashish Jha, the White House COVID-19 coordinator.

NBC’s “Meet the Press” — Jha; Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer; Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.)

CBS’ “Face the Nation” — Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.); Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba; David Beasley, head of the U.N. World Food Program; Norma Pimentel, executive director of Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley.

CNN’s “State of the Union” — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky; singer Dave Matthews.

“Fox News Sunday” — Jha; Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.)

Fox News Channel’s “Sunday Morning Futures” — Rep. Rob Wittman (R-Va.), Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.),  Rep. Beth Van Duyne (R-Texas), Rep Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.)