Europe rejects Trump's claims about Russia's advantage on battlefield — CNN
Illustrative photo: The Russian army is still unable to achieve any rapid successes (Getty Images)
European countries categorically reject US President Donald Trump's statements that Ukraine is allegedly losing the war and that Russia has the upper hand on the battlefield. There have been no significant changes on the front lines and no signs that Russia can make progress, according to CNN.
Assessments by military officials in Europe and the US show no significant changes on the battlefield and no signs that Russian troops will be able to achieve any rapid gains in the future. The current picture is mixed: yes, Russia is approaching key Ukrainian supply lines, but the pace is very slow, and the losses are enormous.
"Russians are creeping in but it is not a fundamental change from what has been happening over the last several months," a Ukrainian military official tells the agency.
Europe has reacted very sceptically to Trump's statements, pointing out that Russia has gained less than 1% of Ukraine's territory over the past year. Therefore, it is tough to call this an advantage.
Trump's pessimism is making European officials wonder if the American president is trying to shift the blame for the breakdown of negotiations onto Ukraine. His statements are in sharp contrast to what Trump said two months ago — that Ukraine, with the support of the US and the EU, is capable of winning the war.
According to media and expert estimates, Russia has only been able to capture 1.45% of Ukraine's territory over the past three years, while Russian losses in manpower are incomparable to its successes. According to preliminary data, Russia may have lost up to 1% of its pre-war adult male population in the war.
However, against the backdrop of this situation on the front lines, Trump, for reasons unknown, believes that Russia, not Ukraine, has the stronger position in negotiations to end the war. He stated this in his controversial interview revealed on December 9. For more details on Trump's latest statements, see the RBC-Ukraine's report.
