Washington: In addition to warning that Kiev is unlikely to drive out all of Moscow's troops anytime soon, top US officer General Mark Milley said on Thursday that Russia will not achieve a military victory in Ukraine.

His remarks confirmed predictions that the conflict in Ukraine would continue because neither side was in a position to win a decisive victory and because no negotiations were currently underway.

"Russia is not going to win this war militarily. After the conclusion of a virtual meeting between dozens of countries that support Ukraine, Milley told reporters, "It's just not.

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According to Milley, Russia's original strategic goals, which included overthrowing the Kyiv government, "are not achievable militarily, they're not going to be done."

Thousands of Russian troops are also present in Ukraine, making Kyiv's goal of retaking the entire country unlikely "in the near term," according to him.

That indicates that fighting will go on, and it will be difficult and bloody. And eventually, both parties will either reach a diplomatic agreement or a military settlement.

After Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, the US quickly put together a coalition to support Kyiv and organised aid from numerous nations. The US has been at the forefront of the call for international support for Ukraine.

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According to US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin, the country's backers have given it security assistance worth close to $65 billion overall.

The White House announced last week that Washington would support sending modern warplanes, such as F-16s, to Ukraine, abandoning earlier reservations.

Austin and Milley reported that on Thursday, supporters of Kiev "discussed plans for training Ukrainian pilots on fourth-generation fighter aircraft, including the F-16," noting that "planning and executing this training will be a significant undertaking."

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According to the US defence chief, a fund may be set up to receive financial contributions to support the effort from nations lacking F-16s or the capacity to provide direct training, maintenance, or sustainment support.
Milley argued that supplying Kyiv with the aircraft earlier in the conflict would have diverted resources from more pressing needs, whereas developing Ukraine's air force is a long-term project.

Building up an air force that is the size, scope, and scale that will be required will take some time, he predicted.