on September 13, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy gave an interview with CNN's Fareed Zakaria where he addressed Ukraine’s challenges on the battlefield, the need to be able to strike Russian territories, and his stance on Trump’s statements.
Here is an overview of the interview’s main points.
Lack of munition
Zelenskyy revealed that the military aid provided to Ukraine is barely able to equip even 4 of the 14 brigades that need to be prepared.
"First, it’s going very slowly [delivery of aid packages from allies]. Second, we need 14 brigades to be ready. As of now we do not have that, from this package of brigades we did not equip even 4," said Zelenskyy.
Zelenskyy pointed out that the country exhausted all of its reserves during the eight-month delay before the US Congress approved aid to Ukraine.
Permission to strike Russian military targets
Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukraine’s request to strike Russian territory with Western weapons is solely focused on targeting military objectives, such as airbases.
“These jets are used not only for missiles. And jets use per month 4,000 guided aerial bombs, just on the east of our territory. 4,000 bombs.”
He stressed that Russia is targeting schools, universities, and Ukraine’s infrastructure which has already been destroyed by 80%.
"We had some meetings with officials, and I said: we waited too long. Now Russia began to move their jets from 100 km, 150 km, 300 to 500. After that, I will tell you that now we need more permissions."
When asked by a journalist for clarification on whether Ukraine had received permission from the US for long-range strikes on Russian territory, Zelenskyy responded, "No, until now, no."
Ukraine’s plan for peace
Zelenskyy revealed that he will be discussing Ukraine’s victory plan with US President Joe Biden during the UN General Assembly in New York in late September.
The Ukrainian President said that he prepared several peace plan points that he will share with Biden. Four of them are basic points. Plus one that Ukraine will need after the war.
“It’s about security, it’s about the geopolitical place for Ukraine, it’s about very strong military support which must be available to us. And that we have to be free to choose how to use one or another item. It’s about economic support, which I think will be interesting. But I think this is the main thing. We are ready. If President Biden values and supports our plan, and if he and his team can add something which will [strengthen our] position, we will be ready,” added Zelenskyy.
He added that it would be honest and proper to share the plan with both presidential candidates, Donald Trump, and Kamala Harris, and the US Congress, before making the plan public.
Call with Trump
Zakaria then asked Zelenskyy about his stance regarding Trump’s statement that he could end the war within a few days.
Zelenskyy said he didn't fully understand it because he wasn't sure what Trump meant.
"My position is that election period and election messages are election messages. Sometimes they are not very real and that’s why I think these messages can make us nervous, all of our people, of course,” the President said.
Zelenskyy revealed that he had a call with Donald Trump two months ago where he assured him of his "strong support".
“I had a phone call with Donald Trump and he said he is very supportive and we had a good conversation. It was, I think, two months ago. He understands how it is difficult to survive during the war. That’s why I want to share this plan. To hear his reaction," Zelenskyy added.
Negotiations with Putin
The President noted that Putin is a player and feels this weakness of the West and the Global South, and also finds a place where they are not united, where they have different interests.
Zelenskyy noted that Putin fears nothing and no one except the Russian people and his own society. He stated that to secure victory, Ukraine must become strong, as this will demonstrate to the other side that Ukraine possesses significant power to influence their society, thereby diminishing their enthusiasm for the war.
Zelenskyy said that Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has changed "all of us" and that the most important thing is whether the war can change Europe and the rest of the world.
"They have to understand that the war is close. Otherwise, it will not change Europe and the world. Otherwise, if the world will not understand that we have to live in unity, otherwise Putin, or some similar guys, you know, can divide the world and can eat its pieces like a pie. And that’s why we need this unity. Then I hope that this war changed the minds of people and changed the minds of leaders of global countries. We count on it," Zelenskyy concluded.
