This Wednesday marks both the anniversary of Ukraine’s independence and six months since the start of the war initiated by Russia. Despite the stalemate in the conflict and the loss of thousands of soldiers, Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov wants to be reassuring. “The worst case scenario is behind us,” he told CNN in an interview Tuesday.
“We are in a phase of stabilization of the entire battlefield,” he explains.
Since the rapid conquest of kyiv and the Ukraine did not occur in the first weeks of the war, Vladimir Putin chose to reposition his armies in the east of the country. The progression of the Russian troops is now done city by city.
Soon a “new phase” of the war
Reznikov told CNN that Ukraine is “about to enter a new phase” of the war. “We have to move forward to start our counteroffensive” in a different direction, he said.
In addition to the fighting, the minister believes that one of the main threats to Ukraine is what he calls “the fatigue syndrome”. In the event of a protracted war, the international community could tire and reduce its support for Kyiv.
“That’s why we have to work on this threat. We need to talk to you, communicate, ask people not to get bored. It is very dangerous for us”, explains the Defense Minister.
On Tuesday, several countries showed signs of support for Ukraine. Germany has thus pledged €500 million in additional weapons, a large part of which will be delivered by 2023, suggesting a long war. Still with military support, Washington will provide new aid of around three billion dollars.
Finally, in a video message, Emmanuel Macron reaffirmed Western support for Kyiv and its intransigence against Russia. “Our resolve has not changed and we are ready to sustain this effort over time,” he said.
Source: BFM TV
