Zaluzhnyi speaks with US counterpart Milley about Russian mass missile attacks
Valerii Zaluzhnyi (Photo:www.facebook.com/CinCAFU)
General Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian military, discussed Russia’s mass missile attacks with his U.S. counterpart General Mark Milley, Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, Joint Staff spokesperson Dave Butler said on U.S. news channel CNN on Nov. 18
Milley assured Zaluzhnyi that the United States would continue to support Ukraine in its fight against the full-scale Russian invasion.
“They discussed the unprovoked and ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine and exchanged perspectives and assessments,” Butler said.
“The Chairman reaffirmed unwavering support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
Milley caused controversy recently by saying that the coming winter season might provide an opportunity for a negotiated end to the war in Ukraine. In comments to the U.S. newspaper the Washington Post, he said pushing Russia out of Ukraine completely would be “a very difficult task,” while the likelihood of Russia defeating Ukraine “is close to zero.”
The comments ruffled feathers in Kyiv, as Ukraine has repeatedly stated that the its war aim is to expel all Russian forces from all of Ukraine, including Crimea and parts of the Donbas region, which Russia has occupied since 2014.
The administration of U.S. President Joe Biden quickly moved to counter any suggestions that U.S. support for Ukraine might be waning, and the general clarified his comments in a later press conference to emphasize that Ukraine was currently winning the war.
“Russia right now is on its back. The Russian military is suffering tremendously,” Milley said during the news conference, alongside U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.
“You want to negotiate at a time when you’re at strength and your opponent is at weakness.”
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