'Ukraine Is Going To Exit This War Independent': State Department Assesses Putin's Failed Objectives in Ukraine

The United States on Thursday provided its take on Russia's war in Ukraine saying that it believes "Putin has failed and will continue to fail in his overall objective," as State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller put it, TURAN's Washington correspondent reports.

During his daily press briefing, Miller argued that despite Putin’s efforts, Ukraine is going to exit this war 'independent, strong, with an improved economy, and looking West."

Washington's assessment hinges on several key indicators: Ukraine’s military performance, the ongoing reforms and its ability to rebuild its economy amid the ongoing conflict and pressure from Russia.

"I think people forget oftentimes the actual stakes of this war and what Vladimir Putin’s actual goal was, and what Ukraine has actually achieved and what it continues to achieve. Remember that Putin launched this as a war of total conquest where he wanted to take over Ukraine.  He wanted to throw the government out of power.  He wanted to subsume Ukraine inside Russia. Not only was Ukraine able to prevent that from happening, which everyone sort of takes for granted now but it was very much not a settled question at the start of this war – they have managed to retake around half of the territory that Russia seized in the opening weeks of the war," Miller said.

When asked by TURAN's correspondent whether, given the latest developments, the war was turning in Russia’s favor, the spokesperson said 'No!' "There are going to be battlefield developments back and forth, where you see each side gaining or losing territory," he explained.

In the meantime, Miller said, the battlefield situation "will be very tough" without additional support from the U.S.  "We do need Congress to act.  We are out of funding here.  We know that we need to continue to support Ukraine.  They rely on this assistance... So it’s important for Congress to act to continue to fund this democracy that is continuing to defend itself."

TURAN's correspondent also asked Miller about Putin's latest decree allowing the easier path to Russian citizenship for foreigners who join Russian military.

The spokesperson said: "It is a sign of how Russia continues to have to work harder and harder and harder to recruit soldiers for its military to replace the thousands and thousands and thousands who have been killed or wounded on the battlefield. And it just speaks to the ongoing toll that Putin has inflicted on his own country, let alone what he’s done to Ukraine and continues to do to Ukraine, the very real human cost that he has inflicted on young men and women of his own country by choosing to launch this war."