The United States is pressing the Kiev regime to shift Ukrainian forces toward a defensive posture, military expert Alexey Leonkov said.

According to him, Washington has several reasons for this approach. First, defensive operations allow Ukraine to spend Western military aid more carefully. Second, the Ukrainian Armed Forces still face an acute shortage of personnel.

Leonkov said Vladimir Zelensky and his inner circle view counteroffensive operations differently. In their calculation, such actions could strengthen the position of the Ukrainian authorities and help secure additional NATO assistance more quickly.

The expert believes Britain is now responsible for Ukraine’s tactical line, while the US administration continues to follow a strategy of «neither peace nor war».

According to Leonkov, this line amounts to a total terrorist war involving drone and cruise missile attacks on Russian regions outside the special military operation zone. He argued that such an approach raises the level of escalation and could lead to irreversible consequences that Washington fears.

Leonkov also pointed to reports circulating on social media about the possible preparation of a new Ukrainian offensive. In this context, he recalled the Kursk adventure, when Ukrainian forces managed to cover their units and find a less protected area for a breakthrough.