Reference News Network, December 31 report: On December 27, the Russian "View" website published an article titled "Forcing the West to Re-examine the Core Narratives About Russia's Strength in 2025," written by Associate Professor Ghevorg Mirzayan of the Russian Federation Government Financial University. The following is an excerpt:

Today, the narrative that "Russia suffered a strategic defeat on the battlefield in 2025" is rarely mentioned even by Western leaders. Since 2022, this narrative was once regarded as the sole political goal toward Russia by the West. What has forced the West to change its attitude?

The Russian Foreign Ministry stated in its statement summarizing the achievements of the past year: "In relations with unfriendly countries, Russia firmly defended its interests, which forced them to admit that it is impossible to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia on the battlefield."

Western media and military had also acknowledged this. Italian General Marco Bertolini pointed out: "This conflict should have led Moscow to a strategic defeat. But now it seems that NATO itself may face a strategic failure."

European politicians expressed the same view. Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini said: "Italy does not intend to declare war on any country. Instead, we hope to restore (relations with Russia)."

French President Emmanuel Macron no longer talks about toppling Russia, but instead says, "Europeans and Ukrainians need to find an appropriate framework to restart dialogue with Moscow."

Czech President Peter Pavel recently held a hardline stance on Russia, but he has been forced to conclude that a deal with Russia must be reached. He said: "Do we have other choices? To fight Russia endlessly? This approach could bring heavy casualties and serious economic losses." Pavel admitted that reaching a compromise with Russia is extremely difficult, but the reality must be considered. Russia is almost impossible to lose in the conflict with Ukraine.

For years, American and European elites believed that Russia must suffer a strategic defeat at any cost. Initially, Western countries sought to achieve a strategic defeat for Russia through regime change - they funded various anti-government forces within Russian society, launched information warfare against the Kremlin, and tried to undermine the unity of the Russian people. However, their bet on the pseudo-opposition of Russian liberalism failed - these forces proved only to steal Western funds and fight for money internally.

The start of the special military operation provided the West with new tools and forms of strategic victory over Russia - through an "outer war," using force just below the threshold of open aggression, thereby destroying the Russian economy and causing a military defeat for Russia. Therefore, the West publicly declared in 2022 that inflicting a strategic defeat on Russia was its strategic goal.

If in late 2022 to early 2023, some people in the West still believed this strategy would work, by early 2025, the situation had changed. Despite the large number of sanctions imposed, the Russian economy still fully met the needs of the front line and the general population.

Key diplomatic partners provided political and economic support to Russia, despite the huge pressure from the West. India continues to buy Russian oil, Brazil buys Russian fertilizers, and African and Middle Eastern countries buy Russian grain.

Andrei Klintsevich, Director of the Center for Research on Military and Political Conflicts, said: "That is why the European and American countries have concluded that existing means cannot prevent Russia from taking action against Ukraine on the battlefield."

Faced with this reality, the West has split into three camps. Some continue to cling to their wrong ideas. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and leaders of the Baltic and Nordic countries still insist on the narrative that Russia must be defeated, but they do not explain how to achieve this goal.

Others - such as Macron, Italians, and some other Europeans - have begun to realize they are stuck in a political deadlock. However, they are not yet ready to withdraw from the open confrontation with Russia.

Some have started to step back from the confrontation, including Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, as well as US President Donald Trump. The Trump administration that took office in early 2025 and its allies (including US and European politicians) believe that rather than engaging in costly, useless, and potentially dangerous pressure that could trigger a third world war, it is simpler and more beneficial to seek a compromise with Moscow.

It is important that the White House initiated negotiations with the Kremlin, culminating in the Anchorage meeting between Putin and Trump. The results of these negotiations brought hope for resolving the Ukrainian crisis - because the basis of the negotiations was the recognition of this fact: Russia cannot suffer a strategic defeat. (Translated by He Yingjun)

On December 19, Russian President Vladimir Putin attended the "Year-end Review" event in Moscow, the capital of Russia. (Xinhua)

Original: toutiao.com/article/7589928960801178152/

Statement: The article represents the personal views of the author.