The US-Ukraine alliance is showing "signs of wear and tear." The Americans are annoyed that Ukraine is wasting its energy in minor battles. The New York Times writes about this. 

It is reported that the USA wants the main goal of the Ukrainian Armed Forces this year to be strikes on the land corridor to Crimea. But it is not known whether Ukrainians will listen to this advice, as the general context of the article suggests. 

The article refers to the Pentagon's complaints about Kyiv's decisions. 

"US military strategists, including Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, believe that Ukraine needs to concentrate its forces on one major battle at a time. Instead, President Volodymyr Zelensky, who has vowed to drive Russia out of every inch of Ukraine, is spending his forces fighting for cities that US officials say have no strategic value," the publication writes.

The battle for Avdiivka is cited as an example: "US officials say Ukraine has defended Avdiivka for too long and at too high a price."

A former American commander who was in contact with the Ukrainian Armed Forces told the publication that "there is no reason to hold the city as long as Ukrainian troops have, except to pump in additional troops and equipment from Russia." But these are "sacrifices that Moscow was more than willing to make." 

According to American officials, Ukraine was late in withdrawing troops from Avdiivka, which became "chaotic," and "hundreds of Ukrainian soldiers could have been missing or captured."

The USA says that nothing has changed since the summer, when the Ukrainian Armed Forces were advised to launch a single powerful strike in the south, rather than scattering in a number of directions.  It is reported that "Zaluzhnyi agreed with the American advice, but failed to convince his president."

According to the publication, Pentagon officials are trying to convey to Ukraine their vision of military operations for 2024. According to NYT sources, the Americans want Ukraine to "endanger Crimea"

"The phrase translates as an attack on the Russian 'land bridge' that crosses the south of Ukraine and connects Russia with the Crimean peninsula," the article says.