This opinion was expressed on Espreso TV by renowned American diplomat Michael Carpenter, who previously served as U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs and U.S. Ambassador to the OSCE (2021–2024), in an interview with Anton Borkovskyi, host of the program Studio West."This war will continue to test both sides in their ability to innovate and adapt to changing conditions on the battlefield. I believe Ukraine has the upper hand, especially if it receives additional financial support from the European Union.And if the reparations currently being discussed in Brussels come to fruition, I think the Ukrainian side will find itself on much stronger footing than Russia," the diplomat noted.According to him, the initiative now rests with European leaders, who must demonstrate greater determination in diplomacy and stronger support for Ukraine. Early signs are already emerging, particularly in European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s plans for a reparations law, which could mark a real turning point in how resources are allocated to assist Ukraine."The good news is that some of the funds from the reparations loan, if it materializes, could be invested directly into Ukraine’s defense industrial base, which is already highly innovative, adaptive, and technologically advanced, particularly in the field of unmanned systems. This could be a winning strategy, channeling resources into Ukraine’s own defense industry to drive innovation and expand production, giving Ukraine a significant advantage compared to where it stands today relative to Russia," Carpenter emphasized.Amid EU discussions on providing Ukraine with a €140 billion loan from confiscated Russian assets, Russia has begun developing a plan to accelerate the nationalization and sale of foreign assets.