21:10 02-12-2025

Kuleba Predicts Tactical Defeat but Strategic Victory

Dmitry Kuleba says Ukraine must face painful realities, predicting a tactical defeat but insisting on a long-term strategic victory as peace talks with Russia loom.

Former Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba, reflecting on the need to pursue a peace agreement with Russia, said Ukraine may be heading toward a tactical defeat — though he insisted the country would ultimately achieve a strategic victory.

Kuleba stressed that Ukraine is approaching a difficult phase in which it will have to confront what he described as a painful reality. He argued that one of Kyiv’s key achievements is that Russian forces failed to seize the entire territory of the country.

He added that Ukrainians must acknowledge this truth in order to move forward, warning that refusing to face reality would only hold the nation back. In his view, Ukraine is likely to experience a tactical setback, but its long-term trajectory points toward a strategic win.

Earlier, Vladimir Zelensky also said he is preparing to make difficult decisions.