EUCOM commander: Ukraine remains resilient; U.S. air-defense and intelligence support 'indispensable'
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Summary
General Christopher Cavoli told senators Ukraine has adapted and is holding ground, but remains dependent on U.S. high-end air-defense systems and intelligence; he warned withholding materiel or targeting intelligence would have rapid, deleterious effects on Ukrainian capabilities.
General Christopher Cavoli, commander of U.S. European Command (EUCOM) and Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), told the Senate Armed Services Committee that Ukraine’s armed forces have evolved markedly since 2014 and that they continue to hold territory despite sustained Russian attacks.
“There's nothing inevitable in war,” Cavoli said when asked whether Ukraine was destined to lose. He described Ukrainian improvements in force generation, digging in defensive positions and converting to Western equipment, and added that those gains make a Ukrainian collapse unlikely.
Cavoli emphasized that Ukrainian operations rely heavily on U.S. supply lines for certain high-end systems. “The Ukrainians depend on us principally, uniquely, I should say, for their high end anti aircraft systems,” he said, adding that loss of U.S. intelligence support or materiel would have “a rapid and deleterious effect” on Ukraine’s ability to target operational-level objectives.
The witness outlined lessons from the war for U.S. forces, including large-scale attrition of armor and the rapid institutional adaptation on both sides. He cited extensive use of drones and electronic warfare, and said the U.S. Army’s modernization initiatives draw on those lessons.
Senators pressed Cavoli about specific capabilities. He said Patriot and F-16 systems have been effective in theater and described Ukrainian forces as leveraging both air defenses and long-range attacks; he said many F-16s operating in Ukraine were supplied or flown by U.S. partners and had been trained in allied countries and U.S. locations.
Cavoli also warned that Russia retains the ability to reconstitute forces during pauses in fighting, aided by foreign partners, and that Russia’s demonstrated ability to adapt made a sustained U.S. presence and allied buildup essential to deterrence.
Ending note: Cavoli told senators that continued allied unity and sustained materiel and intelligence support remain central to Ukraine’s ability to hold and contest Russian forces on the battlefield.
