Ukraine has 'low probability' of military victory over Russia, says US general

The senior general at the Pentagon said there was a "low probability" of Ukraine forcing Russia militarily to leavethe occupied territories, including Crimea, adding that Moscow was still superior to its neighbour in terms of combat power despite suffering few setbacks in the war.

"The probability of a Ukrainian military victory, kicking the Russians out of all of Ukraine to include... Crimea, the probability of that happening anytime soon, is not high militarily," Joint Chiefs Chair General Mark Milley told reporters on Wednesday.

"There may be a political solution where, politically, the Russians withdraw. That's possible," he said, adding that Russia "right now is on its back."

It would be a mistake for China to invade Taiwan

When asked about the possibility of the Chinese invasion of Taiwan, General Mark Milley said, "I think it would be unwise, it would be a political, geopolitical, a strategic mistake, similar to what the strategic mistake that (Russian President Vladimir) Putin has made in Ukraine."

Milley made no mention of an impending attack on the democratically self-governing island.

However, he stated that he thought Taiwan's unification with China was a top priority forPresident Xi Jinping of China, who had won a historic third term as the nation's paramount leader, was a "rational actor."

The Chinese military would suffer a strategic setback if they launched an attack on Taiwan in the near future, Milley told reporters.

"I think he evaluates things on cost, benefit, and risk, and I think that he would conclude that an attack on Taiwan in the near future would be an excessive amount of risk," he said.

According to Milley, that would halt China's ascent to the position of the world's leading economic and military power.

He said that the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February, which was thwarted by unexpectedly resolute Kyiv defences armed with Western weapons, provided instructive lessons.

"One of the things people are learning is that war on paper is a whole lot different than real war," said Milley.

"When blood is spilled, and people die, and real tanks are being blown up, things are a little bit different. There's a lot of friction and fog and death in combat," he said.

He pointed out that since battling the Vietnamese in 1979, the Chinese military had not engaged in combat.

(with inputs from agencies)