Zelensky Discusses State Of Russia-Ukraine War At D.C. Event During NATO Summit

Zelensky Discusses State Of Russia-Ukraine War At D.C. Event During NATO Summit

guys stot you got to be careful too when you’re stepping fore spe please welcome the president of Ukraine Vladimir zalinski [Applause] please welcome to the stage director of the Ronald Reagan Institute Mr Roger zackheim good evening everyone one and welcome to the Ronald Reagan Institute 40 years ago President Reagan stood on a lonely wind step point on the Northern shore of France he was there to memorialize the D-Day invasion to honor the boys of point to Hawk and he was there to share a message with the world he said quote we’ve learned that isolationism never was and never will be an except able response to tyrannical governments with an expansionist intent we are bound today by what bound us 40 years ago the same loyalties traditions and beliefs were Bound by reality the president said the strength of America’s allies is vital to the United States and the American Security guarantee is essential to the continued freedom of Europe’s democracies the president said we were with you then we are with you now your hopes are our hopes and your destiny is our destiny endot we wish our honored guests to know the American people continue to be committed to that vision like to recognize our guest of honor President zinski we are humbled to have you here during this very consequential week in Washington DC and I want to welcome our many distinguished guests here with us tonight we welcome the members of the president’s delegation thank you for being here we welcome the members of Congress thank you for being here members of the administration members of the Washington Diplomatic Corps and of course members of the Board of Trustees of the Ronald Reagan presidential foundation and Institute we’re grateful to have you here in person this evening I also want to thank all those joining us online watching this evening’s program now the Reagan Institute which I’m privileged to lead is the Washington DC home of the Reagan Foundation right here on Lafayette Park across from the White House that President and Mrs Reagan once called home and the miss of the Reagan Institute is to shape the future and to elevate and encourage the leaders of today who embody the Timeless values championed by President Reagan President zalinski is such a leader President Reagan said in his 1980 inaugural address quote above all we must realize that no Arsenal and no weapon in the arsenals of the world is so formidable as the will and moral courage of free men and women he continued it is a weapon our adversaries in today’s world do not have it is a weapon that as Americans we do have let that be understood by those who practice terrorism and prey on their neighbors end quote the will and mor moral courage of free men and women is not exclusive to America’s ARS it is a powerful weapon that ukrainians have too as they repel a brutal Invasion by an authoritarian neighbor president zinsky has rightly said after the horrific attack yesterday particularly on the Children’s Hospital in ke that those who show only sympathy for Ukraine quote mere concern does not stop the terror condolences are not a weapon now that is something leader McConnell understands well from the beginning of this awful War he has been a crucial figure in ensuring that America provides security assistance to Ukraine countless times he has taken up the cause of Ukraine’s defense on the senate floor even when it was politically difficult to do so leader McConnell thank you for continuing to demonstrate the kind of leadership that President Reagan knew was essential to the future of democracy Stu ladies and gentlemen well thank you very much uh good to see you again Mr President and we’ll see you again tomorrow one thing that was not mentioned that I thought I’d start with is that I’ve been around forever and uh you probably wonder what my big first break in politics was was my internship with Henry Clay [Laughter] the world remembers Ronald Reagan is the great communicator and rightly so with plain spoken persuasion he took an animated principle peace through strength the halls of power from London to Berlin and Tokyo to Geneva just as often and just as memorably he showed his own resolve steal the spine of our allies and gave hope to the oppressed in places where the Yoke of tyranny weighed the heaviest like in front of the Berlin wall and in Moscow and places where the forces of tyrant had taken the steepest toll top The Cliffs of point to Hawk and at the Concentration Camp of Bergen Bon but President Reagan knew very well that being a master of rhetoric public diplomacy and soft power wasn’t worth much without the hard power that gave his words their weight he knew that telling gorbachov to tear down the wall that imprisoned the captive nations of the Soviet Union only packed a punch because the arsenal of democracy which had spent years rebuilding was backing it up the marriage of words and actions is the dying art but we can’t afford to lose it the West must ensure that our promises and our threats are backed by hard power and nowhere are the West’s interests and The credibility of its commitments more plainly and immediately at stake than on the front lines of Ukraine I’m honored that president zalinski is with us this evening for more than two years the people of Ukraine have back words of defiance with acts of tremendous courage I got to meet him the first time in ke about two months after the invasion and he has been an inspiration not only to the Ukrainian people but to us as well it’s not difficult to imagine what President Reagan would have thought about a democratic nation whose sovereignty his actions helped secure facing the sharp edge of Russian aggression yet again it’s no mystery where he would have stood while a proud Nation gave its Sons and Daughters to beat back NEOS Soviet imperialism asking only that America and the West have its back our 40th president understood the hopes of Nations struggling to join the American LED order of democracy and selfdetermination more importantly he understood that supporting their Democratic aspirations wasn’t a matter of Charity as he put it in the State of the Union in 1985 we must not break Faith with those who were risking their lives to defy Soviet supported aggression and secure rights which have been Ours from birth support the freedom fighters in self-defense end quote equipping friends to resist authoritarian aggression was in America’s interest 40 years ago and it still is today but what exactly does a Reagan foreign policy mean in the current moment what does the call to peace through strength require of us in the face of Revenge andess Powers Rogue States and rabid proxies I would suggest at first we ought to focus on the places where Freedom where peace is threatened the most and recognize their most urgent needs our friends on the front lines of authoritarian aggression and terrorist savagery don’t need hand ringing hesitation or a second guessing they need the tools to defend themselves to impose costs on their aggressors and to negotiate from positions of strength slow walking Aid to Ukraine didn’t Stave all F the Russian escalation it only guaranteed that this terrible conflict will be longer and bloody considering further assistance will weaken Ukraine’s hand and risk emboldening the very Tyrant we hope to defeat by the same token micromanaging Israel’s defense strategy doesn’t lessen the cost of War for innocent civilians there it just shifts Shields the terrorists responsible for justice our friends in Israel and Ukraine are fighting existential Wars of survival their enemies are working together to weaken the American Le order the security of the Free World will either be strengthened by our friends Victory or weakened by their defeat they deserve our support this is Reagan 101 of course Reagan’s aggression in Europe and Iran bacteria in the Middle East aren’t isolated events they’re only the most glaring signs of the rising tide that threatens American leadership and the prevailing order it has underpinned for three quarters of a century the threats facing the West today are generational deterring and defeating them requires long range vision and longterm commitment we must be willing to out compete and out blast our adversaries these are the challenges that President Reagan would no doubt find quite familiar today our European allies are recommitting themselves to meeting the demands of collective defense but returning from their holiday from history to support Ukraine is not enough it’s not enough to focus on a single point of the axis arrayed against us it’s not enough to limit long overdue defense Investments to one off special funds the success of the NATO alliance and of the American Le order is premised on Collective defense to a degree that some of our allies still have grasp European commitment is essential and sharing the burden of global challenges means sustaining serious investments in higher levels of military Readiness credibility capability and capacity can’t be surged on a moment’s notice they can be purchased at the corner store they can’t be purchased at the corner store they must be honed and preserved over a lengthy period of time NATO members must also recognize that the connected threats to our shared interests extend far beyond European borders our allies and partners from the Indo Pacific have traveled to Washington this week because they see these connections clearly because the outcome of Russia war in Ukraine matters to them likewise European allies need to recognize how the growing threat China poses to our partners in Asia matters to them as well territorial Integrity sovereignty freedom of navigation these are not just abstract principles they are the same core interest that guided president bren’s leadership and they’re being challenged today all over the world world of Russia China and Iran isolations on this side of the Atlantic must face the fact that American leadership is as indispensable today as it was 40 years ago that our credibility is not divisible and that European security and prosperity is tied inextricably to our own those in America who just count the connections between the threats we Face are increasingly isolated as The rean Institute latest polling illustrates overwhelming majority of Americans recognize the essential roles of American leadership and of the NATO alliance in preserving our closest trading relationships in Europe as Speaker Johnson pointed out yesterday there are also Rec the importance of the supplemental Investments Congress made earlier this year in supporting our friends on the front lines and rebuilding the arsenal of democracy right here at home 75 years of the transatlantic Alliance has given us plenty to celebrate this week but if Collective Security is to endure for the next 75 years will we need more leaders to start facing today’s threats with the eyes of a cold warrior like President R our words must be Unapologetic our actions must be unrelenting and the greatest military Alliance in human history must continue to carry the day [Applause] please welcome to the stage chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Ronald rean presidential foundation and Institute Mr Fred Ryan everyone and thank you leader McConnell for your leadership on this and so many other important issues and for being one of Ronald Reagan’s most trusted friends here in Washington DC at his historic speech to the British Parliament our 40th president said quote we must be staunch in our conviction that freedom is not the sole prerogative of a lucky few but the inalienable and Universal right of all human beings that conviction was the foundation of what became known as the Reagan Doctrine a steadfast commitment that America would always stand with those around the world fighting to protect their freedom for two and a half years the enduring bravery of the Ukrainian people has inspired us while their sacrifice has been enormous they have defied every prediction fighting back against one of the most brutal invasions in modern history over the years the Reagan Foundation has honored some of the great leaders on the world stage who’ve demonstrated extraordinary courage in defending and advancing Liberty presenting them with the Ronald Reagan Freedom award in three decades only 10 leaders receiv received this award including Mikel gorbachov Margaret Thatcher and Le wesa we proudly expanded that category and added that distinguished list by recognizing a new leader who is here with us today he has bravely met the moment and rallied the World Behind the cause of freedom in the always continuing clamor of American politics and Western politics for that matter we can sometimes lose sight of the fact that political philosophies can last a long time but that truthful realistic and brave political philosophies last forever and that’s why we at the Reagan Institute feel and Ider convinced that Ronald Reagan is forever because his thoughts and convictions are they Echo out and continue and tonight we are proud to give the bully pulpit in this stage to a man who stands for so many of the principles of reaganism please welcome president zinski thank you so much thank you first of all for invitation thank you very much dear ladies and gentlemen uh Mr Ryan thank you for your kind introduction Mr Mell I’m grateful for your firmness in defending fre freedom and for your reases to Ukraine to see how important it is to win to win now to Prevail over the Russ war and Terror to win so that the words said in the 20th century remain valid and relevant today strategy for peace has always been simple be strong enough be determent enough so that no adversary would think given for a moment that war might pay these are the wars of ronal r and he said this in 1988 about NATO’s strategy and is symbolic to repeat them now here on the if of the N Summit in Washington time passes but more and more people reflect on what President Reagan said what he did and what he changed and these are the words about America America which the world values is grateful to wants to see wants to see leading the world as only America can Reagan delivered this speech on February 23 the next February date that 24 but in completely different era in 22 has become the day of the greatest challenge both to Reagan’s Legacy and to the rules based world order the order that President Reagan wanted to preserve at any time is it reserved Now ladies and Gentlemen let’s be and I want to be uh cand and Frank now everyone is waiting for November Americans are waiting for November in Europe Middle East in the Pacific the whole world is looking to to Autumn looking to November and truly speaking Putin it wait November two but killing and destroying to get ready to be ready for everything what November might bring even even the anniversary NATO Summit which should become a top event does not indeed look strong in the media in contrast to what is expected from November it seems that people do not even notice that NATO has expanded by two new countries at once and this is a historic event but it is the shadows of another story it’s time to sit out to step out of the Shadows to make strong decisions work to act and not to wait for November or any other months to this end we must be strong and uncompromising all together and first of all America and first of all the leaders of America and the president of the United States as a leader of the the Free World to be uncompromising in defending democracy uncompromising against Putin and his C uncompromising to every possible Terror exactly what all ukrainians were on that 24th of February 2022 millions of the people of the world and millions millions of Americans Americans exactly what President Biden and the Congress were on the 24th of February I’m [Music] okay and when when Putin decided to break everything everything dear to us we all acted as one we didn’t wait a single day and even minutes we were surviving every day and we did survive then the world saw that Putin could lose and democracy can win can win even when it seemed impossible then what happened now when did it step into the Shadows when did one one start thinking that it’s better to delay than act that paral Solutions are better than better than Victory and when it started to appear that that to defend freedom is allegedly unsafe and that to put Putin in place for blackmailing the whole world is allegedly unprofitable when and why did it happen the world can’t be secure without America America cannot be a leader and a world Dream Maker without caring for world affairs americ should not shy away from its strengths it is America that keeps the freedom for the world that’s why the world values America America which acts ladies and gentlemen it has been 35 years since President Reagan left the White House but we still return to his words and his actions and this is what was imprinted in war old history in the experience that was gained then and still help us today and even in the speeches will look back on the power of Reagan’s words came from what America did and how correctly America used time as a result in our European history and in US history rean means hope and he still does and he add it and now we all need exactly this leaderships that does not wait for any novembers but acts acts now acts every day strongly so that life wins and so that our enemies such as Putin fear our actions a few examples for you in May in May June we achieved an important Victory we stopped the Russian Advance on har the second largest Ukrainian City located very close to the Russian border the Russian army was ordered to get into artillery fire Ranch to Shell har but the courage of our men and women as well as the American permission to strike military Targets in Russia got the job done and I’m grateful to you I’m grateful to President Biden for this permission and to everyone in the Congress who helped the East Russian Advance has stalled and we are pushing the Russian army out of IRAs near har we also destroyed the launches of Russian missiles that had been hitting har for more than two years on a daily basis and this gave protection from missile strikes imagine how much we can achieve when all limitations are lifted similarly now we can protect our cities from Russian guided bombs if American leadership makes a step forward and allows us to destroy Russian military aircrafts on their basis this will also yield an instant result and we are waiting for this step and we can significantly limit Russian actions insult Ukraine and push the Occupy out of their if American leadership assist us with the necessary deep strike capabilities against Russian military and Logistics in our Ukrainian Prim and we are talking about this to all our partners and all these steps would strengthen us as today exceptional decision of the US and partners to provide Ukraine with additional five patrio air defense systems and dozens of others and prioritize air defense interceptors for Ukraine Ukrainian people are grateful for that thank you so much and our actions to attain peace we held the first peace Summit attended by 10 one countries and international organizations and I’m grateful to the US for participating puting in response held his own Summit a war Summit in pyang in pair with Kim jonon just to have more artillery missiles and mines so that Russia can hold on at least until the end of the year although he does receive weapons Putin still shows how much weaken the conspiracy of dictators is compared to the power of free world we must react firmly we must and can organize the second peace Summit this year based on the peace formula even more powerful and truly decisive we need the support from the US ladies and gentlemen today in several of our Ukrainian cities k a mounting was announced in memory of the victims of the Russian missile strike it happened yesterday and during Russ hour more than more than 40 missiles of various types one hit a Children Hospital Specialized Hospital where children with the most complex injures and diseases were rescued from the hands of deaths cancer heart diseases 4 three people were killed by this attack almost 200 wounded Russia always knows where it’s missiles hit always a direct hit and the hospital building was destroyed imagine this doctors Ordinary People Rescuers all together clearing the debris trying to save as many lives as possible did any of them wait did anyone who found themselves under the rubble ready to wait months no of course not because it’s sensless because when it when it is needed to Save a Life what you do you save the life when it is needed to beat enemies you beat enemies you act you Prevail this is how you win Wars and this is who ukrainians are and that is why I’m proud of ukrainians and I proud to be Ukrainian and this is how we can defeat Putin how much longer can Putin last the answer to this question is right here in Washington your leadership your actions your choice the choice to act now and even and even these days NATO Summit which has to become a strong event strong events strong decisions are needed and when are waiting for them and when we are counting on them for 75 years Europeans could be confident that no matter the friction within the alliance no one when talking to Russia will trade the membership of European nations but why does mosow hope for this now and why do the words Ukraine is a NATO member cause more fear not in Moscow for decades the world has relied on the principles of the territorial Integrity of states and inviability of Nations borders but will these principles remain in force we in Ukraine and all other neighbors of Russia including those to whom America has Alliance commitments need answers our people are doing their best the best of what is available to us in Ukraine and we have proven more than once that the more we have the harder it is for Putin to make war he still thinks that war might pay he still thinks that humiliating America might pay during all his rule he has been trying to humiliate America and break the lives of free Nations his personal story must finally end so that the story of Peace becomes lasting together with America the world is capable of doing the right right things when we all act strong enough determined enough and this must be our strategy exactly this and right now with all the American power that no puant can repel because America as you know is too great for Small Deeds don’t wait months America can be great every day thank you so much for your support please welcome to the stage Mr Brent Fair of Fox News pres good to see you to see you thank you I think we’re going to try these handheld microphones okay just to sound better to sound better it is great to see you to you the last time we talked um it was on the two-year anniversary of of the War uh in eastern Ukraine about a mile from Russian forces on the front line a lot different environment here without artillery coming and going um as this has developed since I last saw you six months ago how has the war changed in your view thank you so much can I ask can I ask Ukraine ideally English is English crowd but we love it okay okay thank you so much as I said already that heart it was very situation wanted very much us quickly thank you so much for decision decision the package and it was very yeah yeah it was very important for us this in Congress uh to equip our brigades but always we have this challenge that from the moment of decision to the moment of equipment you need much time and of course Putin uh understood and understands so he has this information he wanted to use this force in more more than more than half a year Post in in in congress with decision that’s why he wanted to occupy quickly hary we are 1 million and a half 1,500,000 people live now very near to the Border but they live you attack them each day because he wants to make a chaos there and make and push people to run out that is the goal for him he wanted he did it and the very beginning of the war he did it he tried to do to do it with a with a capital we people people stood strong that’s why we we saved our our our capital I think in our country and uh so so so he tried coming coming back to your question so uh he tried to occupy har we lost some some Villages uh which are through the Border our border but people God bless people been saved and we took people away and all people p any as different people I mean this because you know that he’s not looking like like yesterday the day before yesterday he attacked and it doesn’t matter for him whom to kill Soldier or a child civilians doesn’t matter that’s why of course we moved people from from these Villages and he didn’t have success God bless and and help and also our soldiers of course first of all our heroic guys so we stopped them he couldn’t do he lost a lot of people I’m speaking about thousands and dozens thousands of people so the price of this operation for him was very high so that that is what what been changed after our last meeting yes and on the east situation is difficult we’re still waiting for some equipment to equip brigades so as I said really it’s it’s it’s not the secret we have 14th Brigade which are still uh which are until now not equipped yeah so that’s why we don’t use them but I hope that everything will come especially after meter Summit we will have some additional packages with their defense and Etc so that is situation shortly you see maybe the Ukrainian I can answer shortly is good I I do want to say that we’re all really saddened by those devastating attacks especially on the Children’s Hospital in keev and I can hear in your voice um how much it hits you especially as a father for me it’s you know it’s all always for for everybody I think it’s very sensitive I’m the father I’m the president I’m I’m a human yeah so it’s it’s it’s so difficult it’s so difficult to lose people it’s so difficult and and to to lose children and of course you you know you see these these people you see parents and when when their children are dying or or dead so it’s you want to kill Putin at this moment and of course all of them all of us we want all of us we want very much really because he’s he’s not I I think that he’s not’s at this moment maybe he’s drinking something not thinking for him is it doesn’t doesn’t doesn’t matter what you know in Ukraine so the attack was what is the tragedy it was not attack on on some you know military object or something like this and something was not good with a missile or something no the mile was exactly to the hospital it’s not the first time and and and that’s why so you have such emotions do you think that it was meant to strike the day before the start of the NATO Nat that his signal that’s signal to the world to all the people that the signal to NATO countries to all our allies this is the signal he will live this way and he will do this way last year during the early part of this year your air defenses were defeating about 80% of the Russian air attacks and I know the air defense systems as you mentioned are arriving after this six month delay but I’m wondering if you’re able to return to defeating as much of the Russian Air Attack as with the systems as you were once doing now that these these new systems are on the way so again thank you very much for for decision of this additional five systems of Petr if they will help they will help of course it’s not enough it’s never enough and you saw the result attack attacks on on K on the capital which been I mean this defended well so but you saw that is this is not enough and uh it can be enough and this five system will help a lot a lot but it will not be enough because you know that we we have to understand that the Russian army they they long they study they study each day they’re trying to attack systems to destroy petrol they don’t have success in it for today but it’s not enough they use different missiles different drones ballistic Etc so I mean that and we have not also to stay yes at the same place we also have to to move to make strong um steps with air defense different kinds more than one and Etc so yeah you’re hopeful let me ask you this the us though continues to restrict the US attacks uh from firing at Targets inside Russia and restricting the the long range us himars from from firing inside Russia unless an attack is in on um can you just provide the audience some sense or some understanding of what these restrictions mean for your forces and their challenges as a result to conduct an effective campaign against Russia some of these bases air bases include the one that launched the attack on the children’s hospital yesterday yes uh so of okay of course we have permission to use uh High Mars through the Border especially AR no is nor of the country is it enough of course not it’s only a little number of those troops and bases which from from where Russia uses missiles and from where Russia attacks us each day for example if you if you take the example of har so they attack they use per month 3,500 aial guided aerial bombs 3,500 do we have of course can can we use pet or something similar for example yes but can we no because we don’t have so many missiles and the world doesn’t have to use doesn’t have possibility to use 3,500 missiles of Pedas just to defend it that’s why you can’t use such weapon against it how they use these guided bombs using Jets where the Jets stay on their bases do we know these bases yes do we know all of them yes would you want to strike them yes but you’re not being allowed to but we can’t but somebody except us have to say yes just stay on the distance from our water from 150 kilm to 1,000 but mostly mostly what is very important from 150 to 500 kilm that means that if we have this very special weapon some of them we have and if we can use it on the territory of Russia especially on these military targets if we can do it of course we can defend civilians hospitals schools children we can do it because the guided bomb is the difference between guided bomb and missiles of course missiles can can go 2,000 kilometers yes but thousands they don’t have thousands of missiles but they have thousands of such guided bombs and guided bombs they can use 100 kilm that is the answer if we can use such weapon on the distance to as I said from 100 to 500 we can manage this problem and children will live will be alive are the restrictions also you can’t strike inside crimeia uh I hope no which you don’t know but I don’t know because to to say to you what honestly and I have to do it uh so we can’t use everything everything you will understand my English yes yes we can’t use everything and everywhere in Crimea you understand let me ask you another question about Crimea yeah will you negotiate with Putin over Crimea if it would end the war he will never stop he he he I think he will love this idea very much because he need because he need pause in this war he need pause that’s why I said he’s waiting for November maybe maybe the policy in United States maybe will change I hope that it will never change and it’s very important for him to understand and to know it depends only on decision of American people it doesn’t depend on any one person you understand and that’s why he’s Al always waiting how to divide world how to divide America how to divide eight different countries in Europe he he afraid of unity and he needs pauses to speak about crime that the pause he need he had crime he occupied it in 04 Crimea did he finish no did he stop no no then he occupied dbas now he’s speaking that that he needs Crimea and dbas and that’s all he’s a liar because he had it before full scale Invasion he he had it especially Crimea and danas the part of danas but he had it and he began anyway he began full scale you say everyone is looking towards November yes how closely are you following the day-today politics here in Washington and in the US I think sometimes we are closer than you br we had to do it we know a lot of things not everything yes and of course it’s not about our any messages to be influential no this is the choice of American people and we we respect it of course but we are trying to understand what will be because our people you know all the changes in the United States I mean this if they will have one or another direction if the direction will not change and or if something will change our people just people they afraid because you have to know that you are the biggest strategic partner of Ukraine the biggest Who and the first one who helped us at the very beginning of the war because at the very very beginning we’ve been alone and it was very difficult to us to survive we did it and then your help and after your messages with your your help was very strong message to Europeans and join them and it was very important that’s why of course we have to to understand what’s going on yeah so obviously there’s a lot of focus since the last debate um on whether you and other leaders have confidence fully in President Biden’s mental capability of handling National Security crisis and the war in Ukraine I’m not going to ask specifics about that but I want to turn it to how do you think Vladimir PU Putin views President Biden and how do you think Vladimir Putin views former president Trump so you mean that what is his attitude to Biden and what his attitude to Trump from your point of view he doesn’t love America and he hat Ukraine and because he hate democracy and and then Biden and Trump are very different but they are supportive democracy and that’s why I think Putin will hate both of them I think so but I think that both of them have to understand it not to count on his attitude because the GDP of United States 10 times bigger than Russia and it it meant that you you can’t uh you can’t attitude to Putin as he is a partner he’s small really small but when we afraid him he began to be bigger and that the mistake of all the West including us including the United States that the mistake that during last 25 or how many years he is that he uh he’s pu so we always gave messages all the best gave messages that he the partner he the big his leader the bid Administration has put restrictions on you as far as what you can do are you fearful of a trump Administration and what that means for you in this war do you fear former president Trump if he’s president again would pull out of NATO do you fear like that everything would shut down as far as support for the US uh for the Ukraine war I don’t know who will be the president of the United neither do we I hope that uh that United States will never go out from the NAT otherwise the world will lose a lot of countries a lot of countries because such such people like Putin who will lose all countries which which are which count on America in NATO American leadership we will lose Baltic Poland and the countries which are which are very sensitive to this topic and I hope that I hope that United States will never seriously think will never seriously think to go out from NATO I think so but it’s it’s it’s not my decision I’m just sharing with you my my thoughts uh and I hope that if uh people of America will vote for uh president Trump I hope that his policy with Ukraine will not change and will not change uh you don’t think he can solve it in one day I I I don’t know I don’t know I don’t know I don’t know very well him you know I I don’t know I I had meetings with him and we had we had good meetings when he was the president but we we didn’t we didn’t went I don’t know maybe I’m not right in English but we didn’t went through the war with him and only during the war you have to understand can you count on somebody or not because even me I had a lot of you know in Ukraine I had a lot of friends at the very beginning of the war some of them we we lost some you know we lost them because they found another land another land for them it’s their choice but this is I mean that’s during the war another situation you face another another situation very difficult very challenging period That’s why I can’t I can’t tell you I mean that what what he will do if he will be the president of the United States I don’t know that’s why I wanted very much I he his messages and yesterday some messages yesterday in Twi Twitter yeah they’ve been very wor with questions that’s why sometimes we need answers it’s for us it’s very important to hold the situation in Ukraine in on the high level of morality of our people not to lose Unity through the people not to lose Unity through the partners that’s why sometimes these messages also beat us and divide us that’s why we’re afraid of some risks right and I asked you this when I was there about you know the population in the US that feels like we’ve spent too much money and we’re doing too much and we talked about that when I was on the border right now is the goal still to take back all of Ukraine to the 1991 borders is that still the goal today or could you see a negotiated settlement that ends this war for you and your people the best way the best way of course uh after the first P Summit to organize and prepare the plan and to organize during some months is the second Summit and have this document and to put put in by majority of the world to put him and to push him to stop the war this is the best way and when we speak about territories you have to to know that first of all of course we need to save people Nations and and that’s why and and of course we are not need members we don’t have such you know umbrella and that’s why we need Putin to lose we don’t want him to be on our territory because anyway it’s a frozen conflict and it will depends on years when he will prepare and come back come back again with Invasion he will do it you understand so yeah of course the the Munich agreement didn’t work uh 1938 a potential agreement you’re saying with Putin may not work the document with Hitler didn’t work why it has to work second time I don’t know I think he loves the process that’s the problem he loves the process doesn’t matter what to occupy he L the process process and this is his his his history and he will do it to one country or another to uh occupation with military occupation or political occupation of Belarus like he did it already to divide Georgia and for today to begin and he really began to change their direction from EU direction again back to Russia now he’s doing we love Georgian people very much and I hope that it will not be this way it will not finish this way but he he loves this process so it doesn’t matter when the the question is who can stop him two more things president gave you 31 Abrams Tanks last year what what happened to those did they make a difference I’m not sure that such number of Tanks can change the situation on the battlefield it doesn’t depend on decision of pres but he gave a lot of different weapon which helped and and and Etc so I mean that’s it’s like this the this the dialogue about F-16 you know it’s like about to speak that that’s great the powerful decision to give ukrainians F16 to give what number they’re coming this summer right I hope so you know we always we always wait like my my mother waited me after school and I always found the reason how to come later this is this is the same but much more serious much more serious yes the problem with F16 the answer is the number and the dates but to be honest honest to yourself not to speak just we have the decision with F16 stop make a pause Russia uses 300 Jets on the territory of UK 300 Jets they have more but they use 300 Jets we have a decision about some 10 20 even if we will have 50 it’s nothing we need they have 300 we need we need because we are defending we need 128 this is the Fate all these numbers are our partners have so till moment when we will have 128 Jets we will not I mean compare with them in this Sky anyway it will be difficult last thing uh here in the US uh majority overwhelming majority of people are very upset with the current political situation they don’t like their choices uh they uh are upset about the political uncertainty if you ask uh uncertain if you ask them in polls I can only imagine what it’s like to be a foreign country on the other end um in the middle of a war do you tell the American people that this war currently is at a stalemate and what is your final is your message that you have to we have to stay for the Long Hall and why that’s is this is the the long dialogue yeah really I think mostly people understand that we are defending not only our country not only our people common values we have the same families we have the same understanding of the life we are very very fighting for freedom and I think that people of the United States from the very beginning they understood us and the moment as I said previously that Putin will never stop on Ukraine and you will see it if we will not stop him he will go further he will go further and he will go to the NATO Congress he we will want to show and want to show that he can he has to sell this information to his Society he will go to those count who are members of NATO but been the parts of the Soviet Union he will go there and he this his Ambitions and after that the people and soldiers of the United States will go and will defend these countries and it’s tragedy for everybody to lose people’s sons and daughters and that’s why I think till the moment Ukraine is strong all the world pay low price I think so maybe I’m not right but who wants to to check I’m not sure that is good idea and again so a lot of if to be pragmatic right so during the war of course we increased a lot of technological progress and with cyber and with drones with SE drones and Etc so United States when when they gave us weapon they took from us all this you know all our knowledge and all this experience of course we shareed all these Technologies with the United States because we are partners and I think you you’ve got it a lot of a lot of companies and Etc and a lot of companies in the United States they really had made big progress in production because the government of the United States pushed there gave them money and a lot of contracts so I think it helped it’s if it’s to be pragmatic so I think so I think you are doing you are doing very well but maybe it’s those people who are not understand who don’t understand it now maybe it’s okay their choice but they will understand it they will understand it in the future they that the United States made a really right choice made really to save democracy in the world and this decision is making now on the territory of Ukraine it’s true president saliny thank you so much Fork Gentlemen please remain seated while our official delegation departs oh

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks at the Ronald Reagan Institute in Washington, D.C.

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