JD Vance: Russians achieve little on battlefield, Ukraine better off defending

American Vice President JD Vance asserts that Russia is currently achieving negligible gains on the battlefield, despite its ongoing offensive operations. Vance, speaking in an interview with The Sunday Times, stated that Russia's potential achievements through prolonged offensive actions are minimal and approaching zero.

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Russians are now in a situation where, despite their offensive operations, they can achieve almost nothing on the battlefield, while Ukraine's successes help create the conditions needed to end the war.

Vance elaborated that Ukraine's strategic focus should be on defense, a strategy he believes has proven more effective. He contrasted this with the costly offensive operations undertaken in the past, citing the summer of 2023 when, he claims, Western pressure led Ukraine into a "strategic and tactical catastrophe" with its counteroffensive. Vance suggests that maintaining defensive positions allows Ukraine to better leverage its tactical advantages and exhaust Russian resources.

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If you recall the summer of 2023, the main question was whether Ukraine should try to carry out a large counteroffensive. Almost the entire Western world, including President Joe Biden, was pressuring the Ukrainians to launch a large counteroffensive, which later turned out to be a strategic and tactical disaster.

According to Vance, the U.S. and NATO have encouraged Ukraine to prioritize defense, a strategy he deems effective. He posits that Russia is paying a very high price for every square kilometer of territory it attempts to capture. This defensive posture, Vance argues, is crucial for creating the necessary conditions to bring the conflict to an end.

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Such an approach has yielded much better results because it is easier to be on the defense than on the attack. It has allowed Ukrainians to better utilize their tactical advantage.

He indicated that the Trump administration's approach would involve encouraging Ukraine to focus more on defense alongside negotiations. Vance concluded that Russia's limited battlefield success, combined with Ukraine's effective defensive strategy, presents an opportunity to conclude the war.

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Frankly, the Russians are now in a situation where what they can achieve through prolonged offensive operations is negligible – and approaching zero. This could create the space we need to bring this conflict to an end.