“You want to negotiate from a position of strength. Russia right now is on its back,” Milley told reporters after the 7th session of the Ukraine Contact Group. “The likelihood that Russia will achieve its strategic goals of conquering Ukraine … is close to zero.” But he also warned that Russia’s ability to draw more men into its ranks despite significant losses and the fact that it still occupies about 20 percent of Ukraine meant the war would not end soon. ARLINGTON, VA – NOVEMBER 16: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley speaks during a press briefing following a virtual meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group at the Pentagon on November 16, 2022 in Arlington, Virginia. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Image) UKRAINIAN GENERAL URGES UNITY AS DEMOCRATIC LOOKS TO COME TO FIGHT AFTER BATTLE FOR KHARKIV: ‘STALINGRAD 2022’ “Now Ukraine has been very successful,” he continued, referring to the recent gains in Kharkiv and Kherson. “But Kherson and Kharkiv are relatively small. “So in terms of probabilities, the probability of a Ukrainian military victory, defined as the expulsion of the Russians from all of Ukraine, to include what they claim is Crimea…is not high, militarily,” he added. Milley made headlines last week when he suggested that peace talks could begin between Kiev and Moscow after Ukraine’s armed forces scored another major success when the Russians withdrew from Kherson. Milley and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin backed those proposals after the general faced some criticism for allegedly confusing Washington’s position on US support for Ukraine. ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA – NOVEMBER 16: U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley speak to members of the press following a virtual meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group at the Pentagon on November 16, 2022 in Arlington, Virginia. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Image) POLISH PRESIDENT SAYS ‘NO EVIDENCE’ Missile that landed on NATO soil was FIRED BY RUSSIA Both security officials pointed out that while there may be some tactical advantages to fighting when the ground is frozen, winter weather in war usually slows it down. “President Biden and President Zelensky himself have said that at the end of the day it’s going to be a political solution,” Milley said. “If there is a slowdown in the actual tactical conflict, if that happens, then that could become a window maybe, maybe not, for a political solution or at least the beginning of talks to start a political solution.” Milley said Russia occupies an area about 560 miles long and 50 miles wide of Ukrainian territory. In this photo provided by the Presidential Press Office of Ukraine on Saturday, June 18, 2022, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy participates in a meeting with military officials as he visits the war-torn Mykolayiv region. (Press Office of the Ukrainian Presidential Press via AP) CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “It’s not a small piece of land,” he added. “Physically driving the Russians out of Ukraine is a very difficult task.” Zelensky said he would not participate in peace talks with Russia until it withdraws all forces from Ukraine, including Crimea, and pays for war crimes it has committed. Caitlin McFall is a reporter at Fox News Digital, covering Politics, US and global news.
