‘Makes no sense’: Ukrainian official responds to Biden

 Joining us now, a top adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Igor Joschka is with us. Igor, thanks for taking the time tonight. We heard President Zelensky say today that 20, 23 will be the year of our victory. You are also hearing, though, American and Western leaders who are talking about bracing for this war to drag on potentially for years. Do you have any frustration that those leaders seem to doubt the ability of Ukraine to make good on what Zelensky is promising to wrap this up in 2023 you know I remember some leaders experts so-called were saying exactly a year ago that Ukraine will not withstand more than three. Okay let’s say five or seven days, two weeks. Now we have 366 days of war not only You can withstand it. Not only we, we managed to do it to withstand the aggressive, but managed to fight back. And almost 50% of Ukrainian territory which was captured after the open aggression has been already released. We will be doing this this year. Definitely our aim, our will. That’s what really President is saying to have happy victorious. 20, 23. But in order to get this, we need the support and we need the support in terms of weapons. First of all, because Ukraine can start counter-offensive if only we have enough supply of artillery including that long range with enough ammunition, battle tanks and armored vehicles and air defense to protect the skies and the territory of Ukraine provided what we have. It will definitely we have all the possibilities to we we have the will and the courage of Ukrainian armed forces. We have the will and strength of our president well, the will and desire of the Ukrainian people. So in order not to speculate about the let’s unite all the efforts of the international community to help Ukraine intervene. I do want to say President Biden did just say something about those F-16s. You talked about defending from the air. We’re trying to turn that around so we can get that, so folks can see that and we can get a response from you to that. So I just want to let people know that’s coming up. I do want to ask you, Ukraine’s military intelligence chief says that this spring is going to bring decisive battles. Give us a sense of what is in store here in the coming weeks and months. Well, you know, Russia will be definitely trying to to have a response because throughout the last half a year, Russia was only failing on the on the battlefield, on the ground, didn’t manage to get any any major cities or towns. That’s why there will be really intensive. And that’s what they really are like on the east of Ukraine and on the city of Baltimore, the Kremlin. They’ll be trying to have some offensive from the south of Ukraine. And we have to understand that this will definitely happen. But when they fail, not if, but when they fail, we will definitely have the counter-offensive because these reforms will be the last Russian advance possible. They’re also running out of not even the manpower because they have enough manpower, but then they stand in somehow why and for what purpose they are doing so definitely Ukraine should not lose the momentum it should develop on this very positive dynamics we had in the second half of the last year. So definitely being a little bit difficult for us when we will start the gun program so that it will be much easier. Igor, I do want to listen now to what President Biden just said. These are remarks just released by ABC News. He said that the U.S. is providing what Ukraine needs now, but this is what he said about F-16s. We know the Germans are now sending tanks and after the US said it would send Abrams tanks as well, But we know President Zelensky continues to say what he really needs are F-16s. Will you send F-16s? Look, we’re sending him what our seasoned military thinks he needs now. He needs tanks, he needs artillery, he needs air defense, including another high marks. There are things he needs now that we’re sending him to put him in a position to be able to make gains this spring, in this summer, going into the fall. You don’t think he needs F-16s now? No. He doesn’t have six years now. Is that a never look? First of all, the idea that we know exactly what’s going to be needed a year or two or three from now, but there is no basis upon which there is a rationale, according to our military now, to provide F-16s. But you’re not ruling it out? I am ruling out for now. For now. Igor, he says Ukraine doesn’t need F-16s now. What is your reaction to that? My reaction is we got the F-16 is now there will be no pilots to to fly them because our pilots have to be trained well before we obtain the F-16s. And this is what exactly Ukraine has started to achieve. All right. You said several countries announced that they will be ready to go to give trainings for Ukrainian pilots to muster the F-16s. So will be training. We’ll be going on with our counter-offensive. We will be looking forward to deliver an F-16, by the way, not only F-16. There are some other types of fighter jets in the European countries as well, which can also be provided to Ukraine. You know, someone told that there will be no possibility to have long artillery systems to Ukraine versus that. No, we have them. I mean, Igor, let me ask you. Easier Igor makes more sense. Igor makes more sense to train for a plane that you definitely know you’re going to get. And right now, he’s ruling it out if you’re trying to sit still play and the country spends money for training your soldiers for F-16, why on earth this country will spend money if the F-16 will never be delivered to Ukraine?