of Volodymyr Zelensky A visit to the White House Ukraine and the United States confirmed that they are “strategic partners” for the first time in history, a senior adviser to the Ukrainian leader said in an interview upon his return.
Andriy Yermak, head of Ukraine’s president’s office, told the Guardian that Wednesday’s visit cemented Zelenskiy’s bond with the US president. Joe Biden — and with senior U.S. Republicans, despite Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson’s “stressful” comments.
The summit and press conference between the two leaders this week demonstrated “how deeply President Biden feels in a personal way about everything related to Ukraine,” and the U.S. is “the true leader of the free world and democracy,” Ermack said.
Yermak’s emphasis on personal contacts created by Zelensky’s surprise visit outside Ukraine for the first time since the war began comes despite his failure to immediately acquire US Abrams tanks, F-16 fighter jets and long-range military tactics. Ukraine has said it wants to defeat the ATACMS missile system Russia.
But it demonstrates a belief in Kiev that Ukraine needs to emphasize the moral dimension of its war against the occupying Russian military and its confidence in its relationship with the United States. Anniversary in February.
“Its [the] For the first time in history Ukraine and [the] America is close as a strategic partner. There is a very warm, very friendly relationship, [a] personal relationship between [the] Two presidents,” said Yermak, who was by Zelensky’s side during the trip.
Along with the meeting with Biden, Zelensky highlighted meetings with US congressional leaders including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Kevin McCarthy, the front-runner to become speaker next month.
Compared to the Ukrainian Karlsson’s attitude, Zelenskiy said he looked like “the manager of a strip club” who should have been kicked out of Congress for wearing his trademark khaki fatigues to the country’s lawmakers.
Carlson “said dirty things,” Yermak said, but “he’s not the voice of the Republican Party, he’s not the voice. [the] The GOP and I can make that decision after meeting with representatives [the] GOP in Congress
During the visit, Biden announced $1.85bn (£1.54bn) in new military aid to Ukraine, including the provision of a Patriot missile defense system, a long-standing request by Kyiv, to help better protect its cities and electricity grid. Repeated blackouts after Russian bombings.
Now back in Kiev, Yermak, speaking via video call, said he hoped it would help unlock other military support. “I believe we will get everything we need, and this visit will send a strong signal to all allies that they believe in our success,” the presidential aide said.
Kyiv is calling on a mix of American and European weapons such as German-made Panther tanks and Mortar infantry fighting vehicles as it tries to find a way to break through Russia’s front lines in the new year.
Yermak declined to say when or where Ukraine would launch its next counteroffensive, but he predicted 2023 would be a decisive moment in the war. “We will do everything we can to reclaim our territory. I understand that this is hard and difficult work. Our great, brave nation will continue to fight. I am sure that next year will be a really successful year.
To ask whether the victory included the return of the Crimea, Annexed by Russia in 2014, he replied: “Of course.” The US administration has not openly backed Zelensky’s vow to recover the peninsula – which most analysts believe will be difficult for Ukraine’s military.
The chief said he did not want to speculate Vladimir Putin Travels This Week to Meet Belarus Dictator Alexander Lukashenko, the capital is Minsk. The recent build-up of Russian troops along the border with Ukraine has fueled fears that Putin may be planning another attack from the north, as well as another attempt to seize Kiev. Russia’s disastrous advance in February.
“We have a risk along the entire border,” Yermak said, adding, “I’m not interested in knowing what’s going on inside Putin’s head.” He said Kiev had received intelligence from its partners and its frontline fighters and was ready for “any kind of provocation”.
On Friday, the US also accused North Korea of making an “initial arms delivery” of missiles and rockets to Wagner, a Russian mercenary group fighting on behalf of the Kremlin in eastern Donbass. North Korea and Wagner have denied the report.
Asked how Zelensky was holding up on the first anniversary of the invasion of Moscow, Ermak said: “He’s fine.” He added: “Of course he works a lot. This is normal for him. He has worked all his life. He is a responsible person and deeply involved in everything: weapons, military strategy, energy and economic issues. He is the best choice of the Ukrainian people.
Yermak, a former filmmaker and lawyer, joined the presidential administration in 2019 Zelensky’s resounding electoral victory. He became chief officer early the following year. He described his boss as the “best president in the current history of Ukraine”.
Russia’s unprovoked invasion catapulted Zelensky into extraordinary global acclaim: “Now Ukraine is the leader of the free world and the leader of our region. We have a strong army. We are liberating our territory and fighting the so-called second largest army on the planet.
Yermak concluded: “There are terrible tragedies: we are losing great people. But we will definitely win.”
