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Russia’s offensive operations are delivering diminishing battlefield gains, while Ukraine’s defensive strategy is creating conditions that could help bring the war to an end, US Vice President JD Vance said in an interview with The Times.
According to Vance, Russian forces are paying an increasingly high price for minimal territorial advances.
“The gains Russia can achieve through continued offensive operations are rapidly diminishing and are approaching zero,” he said, adding that every kilometer of progress now comes at a significant cost.
Vance suggested this shift could create an opportunity for a diplomatic settlement.
“It may provide the space we need to bring this conflict to an end,” he said.
The vice president said the Trump administration has encouraged Ukraine to maintain a strong defensive posture while negotiations continue.
“A defensive strategy has produced far better results because defending is easier than attacking,” Vance said.
He added that Ukraine has been able to capitalize on its tactical advantages by focusing on defense, an approach supported by both the United States and NATO.
Vance also argued that the widespread use of drones and surveillance technologies has fundamentally changed modern warfare, making it more effective for Ukraine to wear down Russian forces than to launch costly large-scale offensives to retake occupied territory.
Last autumn, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukrainian forces had carried out successful counteroffensive operations near Dobropillia and Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region, reclaiming about 160 square kilometers of territory.
