Former NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe James Stavridis did not say that the Russian army is significantly superior to the Ukrainian army, and certainly did not “give up on the Ukrainian army.” He only noted that the Russian army currently has a significant advantage in aviation. In his column on the Bloomberg website, Stavridis emphasizes the importance of further military support for Ukraine from its Western partners. The ex-military officer also notes that, with sufficient means, Ukraine “will at a minimum be able to hold off further significant Russian land gains.”
Netizens and Russian websites spread news that former NATO Allied Commander Europe James Stavridis, in a column for Bloomberg, allegedly recognized the complete superiority of the Russian army over the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
“Former NATO Commander Stavridis: The Ukrainian Armed Forces will not overcome the Russian Army, which has been hardened in battle. (…) The Russian army is better equipped and trained than the Ukrainian army, so it is not surprising that the Russian Armed Forces are gaining the upper hand over the Ukrainian Armed Forces,” the Russian website Life.ru writes.
In fact, James Stavridis in his column for Bloomberg only points to the Russian advantage in aviation, but does not say that “the Ukrainian Armed Forces are significantly inferior to the Russian army.” The article titled Congress Stiffed Zelenskiy — and the US Is the Big Loser was published on the Bloomberg website on December 14, 2023. The main message of this text is the idea of the need for continuous military support for Ukraine from its Western partners. Stavridis primarily criticizes the American establishment for its declining interest in Russia’s war against Ukraine and for delaying decisions on further military support for Ukraine.
On the other hand, speaking about Russia, Stavridis emphasizes: “Western sanctions against Russia are leaky at best. Putin’s economy is growing, albeit in small increments. And his armies, after their stunningly weak performance in the first year of the war, have stiffened into capable defenders behind their belts of mines, barriers and tanks — all protected by air power Ukraine cannot match.” It is this quote from the former commander of NATO’s forces in Europe that Russian media outlets are spreading, adapting his words to fit their narratives. However, firstly, James Stavridis is only talking about the total superiority of the Russians in aviation at the moment. Secondly, he is referring to the fact that it will be increasingly difficult for the Ukrainian army to conduct offensive operations and liberate its territories, as the Russian army has had enough time to prepare kilometers of minefields, as well as an extensive system of trenches and dugouts. Accordingly, it becomes almost impossible to overcome such obstacles without air superiority.
Later in the text, retired U.S. Navy Admiral Stavridis notes: “But a good bet is that if the US and Europeans continue to step up military assistance to Kyiv in the range of $100 billion between them (a small sum compared to their combined defense budgets of more than $1.2 trillion), Ukraine will at a minimum be able to hold off further significant Russian land gains. Especially with US F-16 fighters arriving in Kyiv by spring, more advanced missile systems (ATACMS and HIMARS) coming and a reasonable stock of basic armaments, the Ukrainians will be able to stand firmly along the current lines.” Thus, Stavridis did not “give up on the Ukrainian Armed Forces” and did not “recognize the complete superiority of the Russian army over the Ukrainian Armed Forces,” as reported by Russian websites, which once again take the words of foreign experts out of context.
In his column, Stavridis concludes that a stalemate in the war can be avoided by “granting Zelenskiy’s relatively modest requests — not for Western troops, but for the tools of war to defend his nation.”
StopFake continues to refute similar fakes about Russia’s war against Ukraine in the materials Fake: US Secretary of Defense Asks Zelenskyy to Return Abrams Tanks, Manipulation: Ukraine Wants to Give Up Western Weapons Due to Supply Difficulties – WSJ, Fake: German Defense Minister Refuses to Consider Ukraine an Ally.
