Zelenskyy Explained to Europe Why It Should Support Ukraine
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that European politicians should support Ukraine not only out of solidarity, but also for the sake of their own security. In his view, this will help prevent a new war and Russian sabotage in Europe. Zelenskyy specifically mentioned Germany and the recent events in Leipzig.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that supporting Ukraine is in the interests not only of Ukraine itself but also of European countries. According to Zelenskyy, Ukraine has good relations with its partners in Europe. At the same time, there are political forces in some countries that oppose continued support for Kyiv.
The president noted that Ukraine cannot determine what policies other states will adopt. However, it recognizes the potential risks to itself and therefore continues to engage with both governments and various political forces in these countries.
Zelenskyy Mentioned Germany
The president spoke specifically about Germany. He noted that, in his view, the majority of German society supports Ukraine. “It’s important that today the majority of the German people are on our side. That helps. But what will happen tomorrow? I don’t know,” Zelenskyy said.
At the same time, he emphasized that it is crucial for Germany itself to prevent new acts of sabotage on its territory and not to support the Kremlin’s policies. “But it is also in Germany’s own interest to prevent more ‘Leipzigs’ and not to support Putin,” the president stated.
This refers to the incident at Leipzig Airport, which Ukrainian and German officials linked to Russian sabotage activities. In September, Zelenskyy and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz separately discussed this situation and strengthening cooperation in countering drones.
Zelenskyy explained his position
The president also spoke about European countries’ relations with Russia. According to him, attempts to reach an agreement with the Kremlin through concessions can only yield short-term results. Zelenskyy believes that Russia primarily takes the other side’s strength into account. “Because if you’re not strong, the Russians won’t respect you. If you’re not strong enough, they’ll try to break you. If you’re weak, they’ll definitely break you and occupy you. That’s the situation we find ourselves in,” he said.
Thus, the president links support for Ukraine not only to the war on Ukrainian territory but also to the security of other European states.
“Let’s maintain this status quo”
Zelenskyy called on European politicians to view support for Ukraine from a pragmatic perspective. In his view, if Ukraine receives sufficient support to defend itself against Russian aggression, this will help preserve security in other European countries. If the situation worsens, however, European countries may have to respond on their own to new threats from Russia. “Right now, there is no war in Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, or the Baltic states. Is that a bad thing? It’s wonderful that there’s no war there. It’s truly wonderful. So let’s preserve this state of affairs. Let’s support Ukraine,” the head of state emphasized.
Zelenskyy also noted that Ukraine continues to work with European partners on issues of defense, financial support, and joint production. The day before, Ukraine and Germany signed an agreement to deepen cooperation in countering drones, specifically through greater use of Ukrainian expertise. The president mentioned this during a conversation with journalists in Kyiv.
Ukraine currently has a financial shortfall of about $4 billion, which still needs to be covered to meet the state’s needs. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the Ministry of Finance already knows where to secure about $3 billion, but no final agreements have been reached yet.
