Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Friday he trusts President Joe Biden to help repel the Russian invasion – but warned that the leader of the free world cannot prove it without supplying much-needed warplanes and missiles.
During an interview with Fox News, Zelensky was asked if he believes Biden “wants Ukraine to win” or if he fears how Russian President Vladimir Putin will react if his forces are defeated.
“I have faith that President Biden, like every true American citizen, believes and wants truth to win – and truth is on Ukraine’s side,” Zelenskyy said through a translator.
“I believe they want to win the values that bring our nations closer. That is freedom. This is democracy. freedom of speech. freedom to choose. The freedom to choose a dignified life, to work, who to live with, who to love, how many children to have.”
But in remarks clearly aimed at the White House, Zelenskyy said Ukraine desperately needs the fleet of Soviet-designed MiG-29 jets that Poland offered last month – and the Biden amid fears of the outbreak of the Third World War did not want to relocate from Germany.
“We don’t want to get a million high-quality bulletproof vests or helmets from special brands,” said Zelenskyy.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy “still believes that President Biden” supports his country’s fight against Russia. AP Photo/Patrick Semansky
“Just give us rockets. Give us planes. You can’t give us F-18s or F-19s or whatever you have – give us the old Soviet planes. That’s all. put them in my hands Give me something to defend my country with.”
Zelensky – who wore a signature olive drab military T-shirt for the distant appearance – also said he believes “that’s what the people of the United States want.”
“But if that process gets longer, if it gets more delayed, if we can see the process of transferring these weapons slowing down, then people will start to ask, ‘Is this really true? Maybe there’s a game behind it,” he said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy prefers to supply his armed forces with anti-tank missiles instead of “a million high-quality bulletproof vests”. EyePress News/Shutterstock
“I don’t want to think that some – some partners of ours are playing games. We want simple peace for our nation.”
Zelenskyy continued: “I don’t know if President Biden fears President Putin. I don’t – I don’t think he does. I want to believe he doesn’t. Because he is the leader of a great nation, a great nation.”
The Ukrainian leader then gestured with both hands and said: “I hold my fists. This is our tradition. I don’t know if you understand that.”
President Joe Biden has been reluctant to supply Soviet-era aircraft to Ukrainian forces for fear of Russian retaliation. AP Photo/Alik Keplicz, file
“I’m keeping my fists or crossing my fingers that this will never happen — that any President of the United States would fear Russia because America has always been a symbol of democracy for us,” he said.
“And I have faith that Ukraine now is, too.”