Ukraine will lose its war with Russia, if the U.S. cuts military aid to Kyiv, the country’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has told Fox News in an interview.
Speaking near the battle line in the eastern Donbas region on the 1,000th day of the conflict, Zelenskyy said the war is currently in one of its most difficult periods.
He said unity within Ukraine was crucial as was unity in Europe but that the most important thing was "unity between Ukraine and the United States.”
Asked what would happen if Washington cut its funding, Zelenskyy replied: “If they will cut [aid] I think we will lose. Of course, anyway we will stay, we will fight. We have our own production, but it is not enough to prevail, and I think it is not enough to survive.”
Zelenskyy was speaking as Russia continued to advance in the east, having taken six time more ground so far in 2024 than in the whole of 2023, according to data from the U.S-based think-tank the Institute for the Study of War.
President Joe Biden gave Kyiv permission this week to use U.S. supplied missiles to strike within Russia and on Monday agreed to provide Ukraine with anti-personnel mines.
But the BBC quoted Michael Bociurkiw, a global affairs analyst at U.S. think-tank The Atlantic Council, as saying that the two developments were probably “too little too late.”
Russian forces continue to pound Ukraine, particularly by air, and Kyiv’s foray into Russia’s southwestern Kursk region has been countered by the deployment there of thousands of North Korean troops.
He said unity within Ukraine was crucial as was unity in Europe but that the most important thing was "unity between Ukraine and the United States.”
Asked what would happen if Washington cut its funding, Zelenskyy replied: “If they will cut [aid] I think we will lose. Of course, anyway we will stay, we will fight. We have our own production, but it is not enough to prevail, and I think it is not enough to survive.”
Zelenskyy was speaking as Russia continued to advance in the east, having taken six time more ground so far in 2024 than in the whole of 2023, according to data from the U.S-based think-tank the Institute for the Study of War.
President Joe Biden gave Kyiv permission this week to use U.S. supplied missiles to strike within Russia and on Monday agreed to provide Ukraine with anti-personnel mines.
But the BBC quoted Michael Bociurkiw, a global affairs analyst at U.S. think-tank The Atlantic Council, as saying that the two developments were probably “too little too late.”
Russian forces continue to pound Ukraine, particularly by air, and Kyiv’s foray into Russia’s southwestern Kursk region has been countered by the deployment there of thousands of North Korean troops.
To add to Zelenskyy’s woes, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump will be inaugurated in two months. Trump has been consistently critical of U.S. support for Ukraine and has vowed to bring the conflict to a swift conclusion.
Asked if he was hopeful that Trump could influence Putin to end the war, Zelenskyy said that if Trump chose to use all America’s influence then, “yes he can.”
“He is much stronger than Putin,” Zelenskyy said. “The United States is stronger.”
In this context, Zelenskyy highlighted that Washington could control the price of energy and that he had seen signals in that media from President-elect Donald Trump that he plans to cut the price of oil.
The Ukrainian president reiterated his criticisms of Germany chancellor, Olaf Scholz, for talking to Vladmir Putin by phone last week, arguing that it was a mistake as the chancellor “got nothing” from the call and at the same time broke Putin’s political isolation.
He said Putin’s isolation was important as it put political pressure on him.
“We fight not only with weapons but also with diplomacy,” he said. “Diplomacy is so important and only diplomacy will end this war.”
Zelenskyy said Scholz had told him beforehand that he was going to call the Kremlin and, “I told him that it was a Pandora’s box.”
He pointed out that throughout the war, Western powers have had contact with Russia “at the level of intelligence” and said this was key as it did not recognize Putin as the leader “because he is a killer.”
Asked if he was hopeful that Trump could influence Putin to end the war, Zelenskyy said that if Trump chose to use all America’s influence then, “yes he can.”
“He is much stronger than Putin,” Zelenskyy said. “The United States is stronger.”
In this context, Zelenskyy highlighted that Washington could control the price of energy and that he had seen signals in that media from President-elect Donald Trump that he plans to cut the price of oil.
Pandora’s box
The Ukrainian president reiterated his criticisms of Germany chancellor, Olaf Scholz, for talking to Vladmir Putin by phone last week, arguing that it was a mistake as the chancellor “got nothing” from the call and at the same time broke Putin’s political isolation.
He said Putin’s isolation was important as it put political pressure on him.
“We fight not only with weapons but also with diplomacy,” he said. “Diplomacy is so important and only diplomacy will end this war.”
Zelenskyy said Scholz had told him beforehand that he was going to call the Kremlin and, “I told him that it was a Pandora’s box.”
He pointed out that throughout the war, Western powers have had contact with Russia “at the level of intelligence” and said this was key as it did not recognize Putin as the leader “because he is a killer.”
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