Top US General Expects Ukraine War to Last Years

The highest ranking military officer in the U.S. told lawmakers Tuesday that he expects Russia's invasion of Ukraine to last years. 

"I do think this is a very protracted conflict, and I think it's measured in years," said Milley during testimony before the House Armed Services Committee. He said that the U.S. and other allies of Ukraine "will be involved in this for quite some time," and warned that the "potential for significant international conflict between great powers is increasing, not decreasing." Milley expressed doubt that the invasion could have been deterred "short of the commitment of US forces into Ukraine," which he said he wouldn't have advised. In private briefings in early February, Milley reportedly told lawmakers that Ukraine's capital of Kyiv could fall in three days or less.

Most reporting across the spectrum covered Milley's comments with balance, and highlighted recent developments in the conflict and potential next steps for U.S. military aid to Ukraine. Some coverage from right-rated sources focused on contrasting Milley's recent remarks with his previous predictions about the conflict, and framed his skepticism about preventing the invasion as evidence that the Biden administration's sanctions on Russia would be largely ineffective.