‘Ukrainians know best’ how to win war, but they need U.S. help, says former ambassador

‘Ukrainians know best’ how to win war, but they need U.S. help, says former ambassador

joining me now is Bill Taylor former US ambassador to Ukraine and vice president for Europe and Russia at the US Institute of Peace Ambassador thank you so much for joining us and what was your reaction to hearing President Biden publicly apologized on behalf of the US for that delay in getting weapons to Ukraine so Gabe as you described uh that six-month delay um was painful costly soldiers died many soldiers died they lost territory so that that was I was there three times during that 6 months um during the delay and each time I could feel the anxiety on the part of the ukrainians rising um and in particular again as you said the Russians took advantage uh the Russians realized that uh the Americans were not providing the same kind of weapons that they had been and there was going to be some delay uh in the ammunition um and they the ukrainians couldn’t defend themselves against the Russian attacks in particular the drones and missiles so the Russians took advantage of it and it was very painful so uh this was uh this this was good that the president recognized exactly that problem you know Ambassador you just mentioned the anxiety of the Ukrainian people but we’ve also been reporting about some of the friction between keev and Washington over that pace of US military assistance as well as the tension with the current US ambassador about her focus on anti-corruption reforms what are you hearing on that front from the people in Ukraine is it not just anxiety but is there real friction here well Gabe there’s there’s always discussion conversations I wouldn’t say friction I would say you know there’s emphasis the emphasis clearly has to be on winning this war um they do have to win the peace um and that’s the reform that needs to happen and they need to do that now but their first priority has to be and frankly is to win this war so that is that is the discussion U everybody understands everybody agrees with that there’s no disagreement on the US side or on the Ukrainian side um on individual on individual tactics individual decisions yeah sure they can be conversations the ukrainians know best how they’re going to win this war and they need our help they definitely need our help but once they have that they can move forward and I think you will see that that that movement um has support from this Administration and from the rest of NATO Ambassador I want to talk to you about something that we’re hearing will be a big topic of discussion next week at the G7 Summit in Italy sources familiar with the planning tell me that one of the issues that will be talked about is this idea of funding Ukraine uh the war in Ukraine long term essentially because they acknowledge that the political will here in the United States and really around the world has been dropping in that sense so they’re thinking of perhaps using the interest off of seized Russian assets and giving that to Ukraine and perhaps in the form of some loan have you heard about that what is your what are your thoughts on that type of idea to help fund the war absolutely now that that makes perfect sense makes a whole lot of sense at least take the interest from that $ 300 billion dollars of Russian Central Bank Reserves that are in Western banks that 300 billion is frozen and then the question is what to do with it how to provide that to the ukrainians the first and and likely uh First Step um is to do exactly what you said take the interest for make it the down payment on loans the collateral for loans and provide those loans to the ukrainians but they should really take the next step you ask my view my view take the next step that 300 billion it’s it’s frozen seize it take it from those Banks um and provide it to the ukrainians both to fund the war but also to fund the Reconstruction so yes they should they should definitely do that and this has gotten some attention as well later this month there will be a gathering of world leaders in Switzerland for a peace Summit focusing on Ukraine what do you make of the fact that President Biden is choosing to attend a campaign event over that Summit is is it a snub like some of his critics are saying Gabe it’s not a snub uh vice president Harris is going to be there um uh Jake Sullivan is going to be there other members of his staff are going to be there uh but you’re right to point out this is an important event this is an important Summit uh there will be many heads of state U many heads of state from the G7 Nations not not the us but other G7 Nations sending their heads of state and others as well some hundred nations are going to be represented at this peace conference not the Russians because this is the first of two Summits that the ukrainians and the Swiss have in mind um which is start the process start thinking now about what a just and Lasting peace looks like so that when eventually you get down to talking with the Russians you’ll know you’ve done some homework on for example how adjus and Lasting peace in terms of of food security um in adjusting Las there would be food secur the Ukraine’s would be able to export their grain nuclear safety in adjust and Lasting pieace nuclear safety both um at power plants but also on the use of nucle on the nonuse of nuclear weapons the humanitarian part game on returning soldiers prisoners of War on both sides and returning the children the children the Ukrainian children that the Russians have taken from Ukraine taking them back into Russia those kind of things ought to be discussed right now even as they’re getting ready for a second Summit with the Russians at some future point so many issues to discuss as this war grinds on Ambassador Bill Taylor thank you so much for your expertise as always thanks for watching stay updated about breaking news and top stories on the NBC News app or follow us on social media

President Joe Biden apologized to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for the six-month delay in sending weapons. “The Russians took advantage. The Russians realized that the Americans were not providing the same kinds of weapons that they had been,” said former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Bill Taylor. “It was very painful. So, it was good that the president recognized exactly that problem.”

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