Rubio says Ukrainian armed forces have become Europe’s strongest army

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said the Ukrainian armed forces have become the strongest military force in Europe, despite Russia’s significant advantage in resources.

According to Rubio, Ukraine now possesses the most battle-ready armed forces on the continent, largely due to extensive combat experience and sustained military support from Western allies.

“It is clearly worth noting that the Ukrainian armed forces are currently the strongest and most capable in all of Europe — largely thanks to the assistance they have received, as well as the combat experience they have gained,” Rubio said.

He also pointed to major differences in personnel losses between the two sides. According to Rubio, Russia is losing between 15,000 and 20,000 soldiers each month, which he said is five times higher than Ukrainian losses.

At the same time, Rubio acknowledged that negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow have slowed. He suggested this was because both sides remain optimistic about achieving further successes on the battlefield.

Despite the diplomatic slowdown, Rubio said Washington hopes dialogue will resume in the near future.

He added that he believed the moment would soon come when both parties would be ready to return to the negotiating table.