In the interview, the president also rejected the French president’s proposal for a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine during the Paris Olympics.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi criticizes in an interview with AFP the restrictions set by Western countries, according to which Ukraine cannot attack Russian soil with weapons handed over by the West.
According to the president, the restrictions on arms aid to Ukraine have given Russia the “biggest advantage” of the war.
– They [Venäjä] can shoot from their territory with any weapons into our territory. We cannot do anything with Western weapons to their systems in Russia, said Zelenskyi.
Last Friday, a spokesperson for the US National Security Council John Kirby stated at a press conference that the president did not Joe Biden the administration encourages or wants to enable the US-supplied weapons to be used to attack Russia.
Zelenskyi repeated the request to the allies to send air defense systems and fighter jets to Ukraine. Regarding air defense, according to Zelensky, Ukraine has about 25 percent of what it would need to defend its country. Ukraine would need about 120-130 modern aircraft with him in order to prevent Russian air dominance.
“Irrational situation”
Zelenskyi knocked out the French president in the interview Emmanuel Macron the proposal that Russia and Ukraine should agree to a cease-fire for the time of the Paris Olympics.
According to Zelensky, the truce would allow Russia to carry out troop and weapon transfers on the battlefields.
The president stated that Ukraine and its Western allies have “the same values” but often have “different views”, especially on what the end of the war might look like.
– We are in an absurd situation where the West is afraid that Russia will lose the war. And not that [länsi] want Ukraine to lose the war.
Ukrainian troops need reinforcements
In its new offensive in Ukraine, Russian troops have captured the most areas in a year and a half, reported AFP the other day.
Zelenskyi estimates that Russia’s latest attack may consist of several waves. According to him, the first wave was in the Kharkiv region.
According to the president, the Ukrainian army urgently needs more men to boost the morale of its troops.
Many of the Ukrainian soldiers have been fighting for more than two years without a proper break.
Source: AFP