MOSCOW, August 19. /TASS/. The West’s faith in Ukraine’s success on the battlefield or the ability to preserve its statehood in any form or within any borders is weakening as the conflict draws out, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in an interview with the International Affairs magazine.

"The future looks rather grim for the Kiev authorities and their patrons. The longer the armed clashes last, the less appetite will the Western investors have to contribute to post-conflict recovery in Ukraine, and the weaker their faith in Ukraine’s success on the battlefield, or its ability to preserve its statehood in any form or within any borders," he said.

"I am not even mentioning whether Kiev would be able to service its government debt. Taxpayers in Western countries will have no choice but to carry the burden of the unpaid debt, causing more inflation and lower living standards," Lavrov noted.