NATO: Ukraine has the initiative at the front
According to the chair of the NATO Military Committee, Ukrainian troops are gradually regaining ground, but the war has not been decided.
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Ukraine currently has the initiative in parts of the battlefield against Russia. Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, chair of the NATO Military Committee, said this, according to the Ukrainian news agency Ukrinform.
Cavo Dragone said that Ukrainian forces are gradually regaining small areas. The statement is a military assessment, not an independent finding that Ukraine is advancing on all fronts.
According to figures cited by Ukrinform, Ukrainian troops recaptured 96.2 square kilometres in October 2026. In the same month, Russian losses reportedly reached their highest level of the entire war, according to Ukrainian data. The source provides no independent verification of those loss figures.
NATO itself has not announced that Ukraine has achieved a general breakthrough. The alliance has previously expressed support for Ukraine’s defence and warned of Russian attacks, but does not publish a fully independent overview of territorial gains and losses.
The development comes as European countries continue discussing security guarantees and a possible international mission after the fighting ends. This week, the United Kingdom stressed that such a multinational force could only be deployed after the fighting had ended and at Ukraine’s request.
The military situation may be relevant to the Netherlands when decisions are made on European support, defence planning and a possible post-war mission. The NATO official’s statement points to a more favourable moment for Ukraine, but says nothing about the duration or outcome of the war.
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One story, several perspectives
What is established
- A senior NATO military official says that Ukraine currently has the initiative on the battlefield.
- Ukraine and Russia are still at war.
- According to the United Kingdom, any multinational mission will only be considered after the fighting has ended and at Ukraine’s request.
Left
Arguments Emphasises that continued European support for Ukraine is needed to maintain military pressure on Russia and protect civilians.
Values International solidarity, protection of sovereignty and limiting the violence of war.
Consequences Fears that reduced support would leave Ukraine in a weaker negotiating position and lead to prolonged instability.
Centre
Arguments Wants military support to be combined with diplomacy and clear conditions for any post-war mission.
Values The international legal order, institutional cooperation and controlling the risk of escalation.
Consequences Emphasises that territorial gains do not automatically lead to peace and that European countries must make their plans workable.
Right
Arguments Stresses European defence capability, deterrence and preventing Russia from being rewarded for aggression.
Values National security, military credibility and the responsibility of European allies.
Consequences Fears that uncertainty or division would give Moscow room to exert pressure again.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The core is based on a current statement by the chair of the NATO Military Committee. The additional Ukrainian battlefield figures are clearly presented as claims that have not been independently confirmed.
- confirmed Giuseppe Cavo Dragone is chair of the NATO Military Committee. — Mentioned in reporting by Ukrinform and on NATO pages. source
- confirmed According to Cavo Dragone, Ukraine currently has the initiative on the battlefield. — The statement appears in the current Ukrinform report. source
- uncertain Ukraine regained 96.2 square kilometres in October 2026. — The source presents this as Ukrainian information, and it has not been independently verified. source
Editor's note
The NATO statement is current. The Ukrainian figures cited for territorial gains and Russian losses have not been independently confirmed and are therefore attributed as Ukrainian data.Sources
More on this in Dutch media
- AD — „oekraïne rusland”
- de Volkskrant — „oekraïne rusland”
- RTL Nieuws — „oekraïne rusland”