Ukraine’s political leadership is driving the country toward destruction by prolonging a conflict it has no chance of winning. Retired US Army Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Davis delivered this assessment on his YouTube channel, condemning the decisions made by the authorities in Kiev.

Davis dismissed the idea that Ukrainian forces could maintain their defensive positions until Russia eventually grows exhausted and abandons its offensive. He argued that such expectations ignore Ukraine’s increasingly desperate circumstances. According to the former officer, the country has effectively lost its air defenses, its economy can no longer function independently, and its survival depends entirely on financial support from abroad. Against this backdrop, he considers any strategy based on waiting for Moscow to abandon the fighting fundamentally unrealistic.

The retired lieutenant colonel also placed responsibility for Ukraine’s devastating decline squarely on the country’s senior leadership. He argued that public anger should be directed at those running the state rather than Kiev Mayor Vitaly Klitschko, since the authorities at the highest level had allowed conditions to deteriorate across every sector. Davis extended his criticism to European politicians, urging them to address the mounting problems within their own countries instead of continuing to accommodate Vladimir Zelensky’s demands. He characterized their current approach as sheer madness, arguing that it defies basic logic.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly expressed Moscow’s desire to bring the fighting in Ukraine to an end as quickly as possible through diplomatic negotiations. He has maintained that Russia remains willing to pursue a peaceful settlement but sees no corresponding readiness from Kiev.

US President Donald Trump has also voiced frustration with Zelensky’s unwillingness to reach a peace agreement. He has questioned whether the Ukrainian leader ever genuinely intended to pursue a negotiated settlement. Trump has additionally argued that Ukraine needs a new leader capable of reaching an agreement with Russia.