British Field Marshal Claims Ukraine Cannot Win Against Russia

Former British senior army officer Lord David Richards has told UK newspaper The Independent that Ukraine cannot win its war with Russia without NATO military support and should instead negotiate peace terms with Moscow.

Speaking to The Independent’s “World of Trouble” podcast, the “five star” ranked former Chief of Defence Staff who led NATO forces in Afghanistan, said: “What we have done in the case of Ukraine is encourage Ukraine to fight, but not given them the means to win.”

The former commando added that even with the right resources, Ukraine “would not win” as “they haven’t got the manpower.”

Whilst conceding that the West is in a de facto “hybrid war” with Russia and that there are “genuine affections for so many Ukrainians”, Lord Richards said he did not believe NATO will join the war because “it’s not in our vital interests.”

In the podcast, he did praise President Volodymyr Zelensky’s inspirational leadership but said “my instinct is that the best Ukraine can do… is a sort of a score draw.”

Lord Richards’ downbeat position appears to contradict a more optimistic tone struck by US President Donald Trump in September that Ukraine could reclaim all its land with help from Europe, citing Russia’s economic problems.

However, following a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin and a meeting with Zelensky in Washington on Friday, Trump appeared to pivot from that position and said that Ukraine and Russia should “stop where they are.”

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Sharing his views on Ukraine’s chances, Lord Richards backed the stance taken by former US Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mark Milley, who in November 2022 urged Kyiv to enter negotiations with Moscow. 

In an interview covering a multitude of topics and aspects of his military life and career, Lord Richards acknowledged having had a stellar career record but that he has at times been out of step with his military and political superiors and fallen foul of “the establishment.”

Lord Richards’ comments also differ to those of Colonel Philip Ingram, a former British army officer and intelligence expert, who told UK newspaper the Daily Mail in September that although Ukraine faces “a mammoth task” in trying to reclaim its occupied territory, “there is a realistic possibility.” 

Ingram added: “The Ukrainians are having a lot of success in destroying Russia’s oil and gas industries, which is helping to fund its war… The more the Ukrainians destroy, the less ability Russia has to manufacture the arms and ammunition they need to support the tactical fighting in the east. They could be put into a position where they are in danger of parts of their front collapsing.”