US General Predicts Russia-Ukraine Conflict, Zelensky Comments on Washington's Leak
General Mark Milley, Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that negotiations to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict could take place in “the next year or two.”
In an interview with Foreign Affairs on May 2, General Milley said that the US has helped train and equip the Ukrainian military for upcoming operations, whether offensive or defensive. However, it is unlikely that either side will have a clear advantage in the conflict in 2023.
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| General Mark Milley - Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff. Photo: US Department of Defense |
Regarding Kiev's anticipated counter-offensive, Mr. Milley said, the US and NATO partners in Europe have been training and equipping “approximately nine Ukrainian brigades with weapons, ammunition, armor and light armored vehicles for the infantry” over the past few months.
The chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff assessed that Kiev’s forces now have significantly enhanced offensive and defensive capabilities compared to last year. But he acknowledged that if the Ukrainians were to strike back, everything could happen, from the possibility of a complete collapse of the Russian front to the risk of failure.
Mr. Zelensky said he was not consulted by the US about the leak of classified documents.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told the Washington Post that he only learned about the leak of classified US Defense Department documents through media reports. According to the head of Kiev, he was not informed about the incident by the White House or the Pentagon.
“We did not have that information. I personally did not receive it. It is definitely a bad story,” Mr. Zelensky said, describing it as “not beneficial” for Ukraine and “not beneficial for the reputation of the White House and the reputation of the United States.”
Asked whether trust between the two countries had been affected by the incident, which included Washington’s alleged spying on the president and other senior Ukrainian officials, Mr Zelensky replied: “I cannot risk our state. Where I can speak frankly, I have done it.”
However, Mr. Zelensky also expressed confidence that the incident was not worth damaging US support for Ukraine.
