US’ Milley says no silver bullet for Ukraine against Russia

General Mark Milley, America’s top uniformed military officer, says there’s “no silver bullet” the US and its allies can give to Ukraine to ensure it defeats Russia. 

Milley spoke on April 21 alongside US defence chief Lloyd Austin, who said Ukraine’s most pressing need is for ground-based air defenses, Bloomberg reports.

The pair held a meeting of military donors to Ukraine at Ramstein Air Base in Germany. 

Milley’s remarks highlight US efforts to push back against the argument from Ukraine and some allies that a particular weapons system — such as battle tanks or F-16s or long-range artillery systems — will be the equipment that turns the tide of the war. The US and European nations have provided successively more advanced weaponry, but the front lines in the invasion have remained largely fixed for months.

The two officials spoke after a meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, where defense chiefs outlined plans to set up repair centers for weapons delivered to Ukraine. Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg said additional logistics deliveries are likely to be announced.

The message was again one of unity among allies as the war drags on. Austin said allies are sticking together despite the largest leak of official US secrets in a decade. Last week, the US charged a 21-year-old Air National Guardsman in Massachusetts over the massive disclosure of intelligence secrets including assessments of the war.

“As I have discussed this issue with our allies and partners, I’ve been struck by their solidarity and their commitment to reject efforts to divide us,” Austin said. The Ramstein meeting comes a day after Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg made a surprise trip to Kyiv, his first since the start of Russia’s invasion.

Milley said that Russia’s military operation is struggling two months into the conflict’s second year. Russia’s forces “lack leadership, they lack will, their morale is poor, and their discipline is eroding,” Milley said.