The Dutch Ministry of Defense has explained under what conditions the war in Ukraine could come to an end
Ukraine must continue to put pressure on Russia, as it is currently inflicting significant losses on Russia and creating serious problems on the battlefield.
At the same time, the decisive factor in any military conflict is not only the amount of equipment destroyed or the number of casualties, but above all the willingness of the parties to continue fighting.
“I think that right now Ukraine is inflicting very tangible damage on Russia and creating serious problems for it. But in any war, what matters is not just how much equipment has been destroyed or what losses the enemy has suffered. The most important thing is the will to fight. The war ends when one of the sides no longer has the desire or ability to fight.
Therefore, in my opinion, Ukraine needs to keep up the pressure until Moscow loses the will to wage this war. That is when it will come to an end,” he said.
The representative of the Dutch Ministry of Defense emphasized that the key to ending the war could be the moment when the Russian leadership loses the desire to continue hostilities or concludes that continuing the war makes no sense.
According to him, it is precisely the loss of political and military motivation to continue the aggression that could become the decisive factor in ending the war.
Simon Wooda believes that Ukraine’s current actions are already posing significant challenges for Russia, so maintaining and intensifying pressure remains a crucial component of the strategy toward ending the war.
This opinion was expressed by Simon Wooda, head of the Operational Working Group on Ukraine at the Dutch Ministry of Defense.
In May 2026, Ukraine saw a sharp increase in the number of civilian deaths and injuries—the highest figure in the last four years. According to the UN, the main casualties were caused by intense combat operations and strikes on urban areas.
Overall, the mission emphasizes that it is the combination of massive strikes on cities and drone activity in frontline areas that has led to a sharp increase in civilian casualties. This is stated in the report of the UN Monitoring Mission.
