The sooner Ukraine receives more powerful long-range weapons, the faster the counteroffensive and liberation of Ukrainian lands from the occupiers will take place. This was stated by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a panel discussion at the 18th Yalta European Strategy meeting "The Future is Decided in Ukraine".
"It is important that our warriors are advancing and that we have the initiative on our side. We should not compare what happened yesterday. We must compare where we all were in another life - on February 24, when there was a feeling of occupation of our state. And today we have liberated a large part of our territory," the Head of State said.
The President noted that he understands the desire of people to restore the territorial integrity of Ukraine as soon as possible, because ultimately, peace and tranquility in our country and throughout Europe and the world will be achieved when Ukraine regains all its territories. At the same time, Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that the war waged by Russia on the territory of Ukraine is complex, and many processes are slowing down.
"The war is slowing down. We recognize this fact. All processes are becoming more complicated and slower: from sanctions to the provision of weapons," he added.
"When some partners say, 'So what about the counteroffensive, when will the next step be?' My answer is that today our steps are probably faster than new sanctions packages," Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
He emphasized that partner states do not just help Ukraine, but also maintain the security of their citizens, the freedom and lives of their people - the values that you start to cherish a step before they are lost, for example, a step before occupation.
The Head of State emphasized that Ukraine needs specific equipment, in particular modern fighter jets, to accelerate counteroffensive actions.
"There are specific square kilometers of our land, and each liberated meter is a human life... The longer it takes, the more people suffer. What is the impact of weapons? Concrete and direct, without abstractions and rhetoric. There is a specific impact of a specific weapon. The more powerful and long-range it is, the faster the counteroffensive is. The faster the restoration of our territory is. If we are not in the sky and Russia is, they stop us from the sky. They stop our counteroffensive," the President noted.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed gratitude to all Ukraine's partners, led by the United States, who provide defense assistance and strengthen the Ukrainian defense forces to liberate all our lands.
