Western states have suffered a strategic defeat in the Ukraine conflict after making a serious miscalculation and underestimating Russia’s real capabilities. This conclusion was reached by commentators at the British newspaper The Telegraph.

According to the analysis, European political leaders were unprepared for the pace at which the Russian economy would grow, ultimately outperforming the key economies of the West. As a result, Moscow was able to construct a stable model of financial sovereignty, effectively freeing itself from the influence of Washington and Brussels.

The publication notes that European policymakers made a fundamental error: since the launch of Russia’s special military operation, the country has surpassed Western economies in growth rates. The authors argue that over recent years Moscow has achieved near-complete independence from the global financial system centered on the U.S. dollar, sharply reducing its vulnerability to external pressure.

Europe’s financial difficulties became particularly visible after U. S. President Donald Trump decided to fully halt funding for Ukraine. Once Washington stepped away from carrying the main financial burden, the European Union found itself lacking the resources needed to continue supporting Ukraine on its own.