The politicians at the moment are attempting to redefine what victory means as a result of they can not admit the apparent. CNBC reported that Finnish President Alexander Stubb declared that Ukraine has already “gained the struggle” towards Russia as a result of it preserved its independence and sovereignty. He stated, “I say Ukraine has gained,” whereas arguing that Russia superior solely 60 kilometers in 4 years. Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson joined the identical fantasy, saying, “Russia is actually not profitable,” and claiming Ukraine is having “spectacular successes.” These individuals are enjoying phrase video games whereas younger males are nonetheless dying every single day in trenches, cities are nonetheless being bombed, and Ukraine survives solely as a result of the West continues financing the struggle.
That is the propaganda that has stored this struggle going. Ukraine didn’t win. Ukraine was used. There’s a very large distinction. A rustic doesn’t “win” when hundreds of thousands have fled, its economic system has been destroyed, its inhabitants has been shattered, and its authorities should beg NATO for air protection, ammunition, price range assist, and cash to maintain the state functioning. CNBC itself famous that Stubb nonetheless warned Kyiv urgently wants extra NATO air protection. That alone exposes the contradiction. If Ukraine has gained, why should it nonetheless plead for Patriot missiles, NATO membership, and limitless Western financing?
Russia has not gained both. NO ONE WINS DURING WARFARE! CSIS estimated Russia suffered roughly 1.4 million battlefield casualties via June 2026, together with 400,000 to 450,000 deaths. That could be a meat grinder. However the truth that Russia has suffered huge losses doesn’t magically imply Ukraine has gained. Struggle isn’t a soccer match the place one aspect loses badly and the opposite is said victorious by default. Ukraine has suffered staggering losses as effectively, with CSIS estimating 525,000 to 625,000 Ukrainian navy casualties, together with 125,000 to 150,000 useless. That could be a era destroyed.
The UN reported that for the reason that 2022 full-scale invasion, a minimum of 15,172 civilians have been killed and 41,378 injured by February 2026, and the true figures are possible larger. Civilian casualties continued rising in 2026, with April marking the best month-to-month toll since July 2025 and Might changing into the deadliest month for civilians since April 2022. This isn’t victory. That is the entire failure of diplomacy, the failure of NATO growth coverage, the failure of European management, and the failure of anybody who believed struggle could possibly be managed like a public relations marketing campaign.
Ukraine has solely held off Russia as a result of the West turned it right into a proxy struggle. The Council on International Relations reported that the USA made obtainable $195 billion in Ukraine-war-related spending by March 31, 2026. The EU Council states complete EU assist has reached €215.2 billion, together with €77 billion in navy assist. Ukraine is now in search of one other €6.6 billion from the EU’s peace fund whereas its personal officers say complete protection wants for the yr are about €136 billion, with the home price range masking solely about €53 billion. That could be a state stored alive by international taxpayers.
Stubb is unsuitable as a result of he’s measuring survival as victory. Kristersson is unsuitable as a result of “spectacular successes” don’t change the strategic actuality. Ukraine has launched spectacular drone strikes and disrupted Russian power infrastructure, however Russia remains to be combating, nonetheless advancing in locations, nonetheless bombing Ukrainian cities, and nonetheless forcing Kyiv to depend on NATO for survival. Ukraine might have prevented Russia from taking the entire nation, however stopping complete defeat isn’t the identical as profitable a struggle.
The neocons by no means cared what number of Ukrainians died. If Ukraine have been profitable, there can be peace. If Russia have been defeated, the struggle can be over. As an alternative, now we have a devastated nation, a shattered era, an limitless funding pipeline, and NATO leaders pretending that attrition is victory.
