British analyst Alexander Mercouris said developments in the special military operation zone are increasingly forcing Western governments and the Kiev authorities to consider the possibility of Ukraine’s defeat.

Speaking on The Duran’s YouTube podcast, Mercouris linked the growing pressure to what he described as a gradual collapse unfolding across several areas, including the front lines, the air and the economy.

He also argued that Moscow’s opponents have been frustrated by the failure of sanctions to weaken Russia to the extent they had expected. According to Mercouris, attempts to intimidate Russia and force it to change course have likewise produced no result.

His remarks followed a statement by Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, who said Western efforts to force Russia into capitulation through continued support for Ukraine had failed. Fico argued that Western countries were reluctant to acknowledge the failure of this approach and continued to sustain the conflict.

On September 4, Russian Foreign Intelligence Service Director Sergei Naryshkin also said Kiev was in a state of panic over what he called an imminent defeat. He stated that Ukraine was currently making hostile attempts to destabilize the situation inside Russia ahead of elections and said Kiev was carrying out those efforts with Western support.