Washington, August 23, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Former US Vice-President Mike Pence has said Ukraine is winning its war against Russia, crediting Ukrainian forces with holding Moscow to a stalemate and transforming the use of drones in modern warfare.
Speaking to CNN from Ukraine after meeting President Volodymyr Zelensky, Pence said Ukrainians remained determined despite a series of deadly Russian attacks.
“Ukraine is winning this war,” Pence said, adding that Ukraine’s military had “fought Russia to a stalemate”.
Pence was in Ukraine to attend a national prayer breakfast marking 35 years since the collapse of the Soviet Union and Ukraine’s independence. He said the gathering was attended by thousands of people from Ukraine and other countries.
He described the resolve among Ukraine’s leadership, military personnel and ordinary citizens as “palpable”.
Pence also highlighted Ukraine’s use of drones, saying its forces had carried out attacks inside Russia and targeted ships in the Black Sea, effectively reshaping modern drone warfare.
His comments came after a Russian “double-tap” strike killed at least 16 people and injured more than 100, according to CNN. He said Russia had also recently begun using high-arc ballistic missiles against Ukrainian targets.
While Ukraine could counter drones, Pence said it needed more sophisticated interceptors to defend against ballistic missiles. He also warned that Russia could intensify attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure as winter approaches.
Pence said Zelensky expected Moscow to target energy facilities in addition to civilian infrastructure, including schools, hospitals and shopping centres.
CNN reported that the war involving Iran had contributed to a shortage of Patriot missile interceptors, with the US having used around half of its Patriot supply while defending against Iranian attacks.
Asked whether Ukraine was bearing the cost of US President Donald Trump’s war with Iran, Pence said he did not view the situation that way and believed Ukrainians did not either.
Pence suggested that South Korea could help address the interceptor shortage, saying Seoul could make sophisticated systems available to the US for deployment in the Middle East or Ukraine, or to European allies.
Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 after its occupation and annexation of Crimea in 2014. The conflict has since become Europe’s largest armed conflict since World War II, with Ukraine relying heavily on US and European military, financial and humanitarian support.
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