J.D. Vance, the US Vice-President, stated that Russia is incapable of achieving a decisive victory on the battlefield. He emphasised that Ukraine’s defence is creating the conditions for the war to end.
- J.D. Vance believes that Russia is not making any headway on the front line.
- Ukraine’s defence strategy is proving more effective.
- The Russian army is suffering heavy losses in exchange for minor territorial gains.
- Vance criticises Western pressure regarding the Ukrainian counter-offensive in 2023.
- The effectiveness of defensive operations could be the key to ending the war.
Russia cannot succeed on the front line
Vice President of the United States JD Vance in an interview The Times stated that Russia finds itself in a situation where even active offensive operations do not allow it to achieve a decisive victory on the battlefield. He emphasised that the actions of the Ukrainian military are gradually creating the necessary conditions for the war to end in the future. “Russia currently finds itself in a situation where, despite its offensive operations, it can achieve practically nothing on the battlefield, whilst Ukraine’s successes are helping to create the conditions necessary to bring the war to an end.”
Ukraine’s defence is yielding better results
Vens noted that the Ukrainian military should focus on defence, as this strategy has proved to be far more effective than large-scale offensive operations. The Russian army is suffering heavy losses, moving only short distances.
“The Russians are paying a high price for every square metre,” he emphasised.
Criticism of the 2023 counter-offensive
The US Vice-President also mentioned the Ukrainian counter-offensive in the summer of 2023. He believes that at that time, a significant number of Western allies, including the US President’s administration, Joe Biden, insisted on launching a large-scale offensive operation. Vens believes that this strategy proved to be a mistake.
“Almost the entire Western world, including Biden, put pressure on the Ukrainians to launch a large-scale counter-offensive, which subsequently turned out to be a strategic and tactical disaster,” he said.
