NBC host Kristen Welker pressed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Sunday about the likely timeline for war with Russia after the House approved additional foreign aid funding.
Zelenskiy appeared on “Meet the Press” and spoke about the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine. After the House of Representatives approved providing the country with an additional $60.8 billion in aid, Welker asked President Zelensky about the impact it will have and whether more aid will be needed next year. (Related: House passes Mike Johnson’s foreign aid package)
“But President Zelensky, can you give the American people a sense of the timeline? Will we need the same amount of aid this time next year? Or do you think we can turn the corner on Russia? Time What is the axis?” Welker asked.
But President Zelenskiy said it was “difficult” to “predict” the end of the war due to the country’s setbacks and the pace at which additional aid, including weapons, was coming in, and declined to give President Welker an exact date. avoided.
“Well, it depends on when we actually get the weapons on the ground. Like you said, Kristen, if we could get it within six months, but we’re not sure if that process would be stalled for six months. We’ve had losses in several directions, losses in personnel, losses in equipment, and it’s been very difficult in the east. We’ve lost the initiative there. Now we have to stabilize the situation. , there is a good chance to take the initiative. That is why we need to actually introduce weapon systems, ”Zelenskyy said.
“When we have it, when we hold it in our arms, we have a chance to take this initiative and move forward and defend Ukraine. But given the specific schedule of the U.S. war, it is It depends on how quickly we can get this aid. There are so many variables, so many factors, that we retreat because we don’t have enough troops and equipment when we’re defending a critical front. And then it takes two or three times longer to get it back. I’m not saying it will end up like this, but it’s possible.”
“Let me give you an example [an] F-16. That’s a great example. The decision to supply Ukraine with F-16 fighters was made a year ago, and a year ago we received a positive response. Ukraine should receive these fighter jets so that it can not only protect its skies but also have the latest jets. A year has passed. Ukraine does not yet have jet aircraft. Therefore, it is very difficult to make predictions. I want you to be open and very specific. “From the moment we have these weapons systems, from that moment on, we can talk about a timeline,” Zelenskiy said.
In a series of votes on Saturday, the House approved Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson’s foreign aid bill. After initially saying last year that no foreign funding would be approved until lawmakers addressed the country’s southern border crisis, Johnson said Saturday that the aid would “force a final strategy for the Ukraine war.” claimed to be a thing.
In addition to billions of dollars to Ukraine, $15 billion in military aid and $9 billion in humanitarian aid would go to Israel and $8 billion to Taiwan, a bill aimed at putting pressure on Iran and China. is also included.
