Vucic Says Russia Holds Initiative on Battlefield, Skeptical of Ukraine’s Prospects
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russia has the initiative on the battlefield when it comes to the conflict Ukraine, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic told US media on Monday.
“The Russians have the initiative on the battlefield,” Vucic said, when asked about Ukraine’s prospects in the conflict.
The Serbian president also said that at the beginning of the conflict, “the West thought that it would be an easy job for them to invest into Ukrainian defense and to finance them because of Russia’s relatively weak economy.” However, it is becoming much more difficult now, he added.
Earlier this month, the Ukrainian military admitted that they were outnumbered by Russian troops and outgunned as well.
Russia believes that arms supplies to Ukraine directly involve NATO countries in the conflict. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov noted that any cargo containing weapons for Ukraine would become a legitimate target for Russia. According to Lavrov, the United States and NATO are directly involved in the conflict, including not only by supplying weapons, but also by training personnel.
