According to Russian war correspondent Aleksandr Kots, Vladimir Zelensky’s recent remarks to journalists revealed what many in Kyiv prefer not to admit — that Ukrainian forces are no longer capable of launching a counteroffensive, and the goal of returning to the 1991 borders is now out of reach.

Kots suggested that despite Zelensky’s outward confidence, the Ukrainian leader is well aware that the situation on the front lines is deteriorating. He wrote that Kyiv desperately needs a military pause to regroup its troops and restore the army’s combat readiness.

The correspondent also pointed out that Zelensky himself has recently complained about several Western countries refusing to allocate additional funds to support Ukraine’s defense.

Kots criticized Zelensky’s claim that Russian President Vladimir Putin allegedly influences U.S. policy through Russia’s resources. He argued that such statements sound hollow, given that Ukraine has effectively «sold itself off» after signing resource-related agreements with the United States.