On Tuesday evening, December 19, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky held his annual final press conference. The location of the meeting with journalists, as well as its duration, were not announced in advance.
The publication “Correspondent” led test broadcast briefing. Main questions – about mobilization, conscription of women, relations with Zaluzhny and many others:
18.08. Zelensky announced the transfer of a “batch” of Patriot air defense systems to Ukraine. He says that he promised his allies not to disclose the exact number of systems.
12.18. Zelensky: “The military proposed mobilizing an additional 450-500 thousand people”.
18.14. Mobilization in the format that is taking place now will cost Ukraine 500 billion hryvnia, the president said.
18.19. “I am confident that the United States will not betray us and the agreements will be fulfilled… I think I have found agreements with Biden… the only question is the dates,” the head of state said.
18.21. Zelensky: “We do not control the sky, this had an impact on the special operation in the southern direction in 2023.”
18.26. When asked by a journalist whether the war will end in 2024, the president replied: “Nobody knows the answer to this… Opinions very often differ from reality. You can live with skepticism, but you can also live with a country about ***** with skepticism. ready”.
18.30. Zelensky said that Ukraine’s GDP grew by 5% over the year.
18.36. The President said that “the Verkhovna Rada will not be dissolved, despite the scandals with foreign holidays,” because then elections will be needed, and they are impossible during the war.”
18.39. “Orban’s (Hungarian leader – ed.) policy is not very friendly to us, I told him about this… I had several questions for him… I asked Orban: Victor, name at least one reason why you do not support our entry into EU, maybe we can find a diplomatic solution. “He found it difficult to answer why we cannot organize a meeting to resolve all the issues,” Zelensky said.
18.41. In response to one of the questions about corruption and the journalist’s proposal about possible “purges” in the Presidential Office, Zelensky said: “If I get rid of my team, then we will become weaker – there will be less help… less air defense.”
18.50. The President acknowledged that the war in the Middle East is having an impact on aid to Ukraine. “There is a Russian track there, and the Kremlin has achieved success on this track,” he said.
18.53. “We need help from the United States now, and I think it will come very soon,” the president said.
18.54. Trump will be completely different, the president says.
18.57. Zelensky: “We recognize the independent people of Palestine.”
19.03. Zelensky about the closure of the border by Poland (both about the grain blockade and the current one): “Poland did not allow us to export our grain. I’m not some kind of rag. I defend the interests of my country. The border blockade was the policy before the elections.” The President is already negotiating with the new government of the country on blocking the border and the issue of grain.
19.08. “We are not invited to NATO. Some partial proposals… We have never received such a proposal,” the president said. – If part of Ukraine is in NATO, then Putin will start a war with NATO. And here the question is whether the countries of the alliance will be ready to fight for part of Ukraine; we will never recognize the Russian occupation of our territories.
19.12. When asked by journalists whether Zelensky would change military leadership because of the situation at the front, he replied: “By the end of the year, Ukraine will understand its next steps at the front.”
19.18. To the question about the conflict with the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine replied: “I have a working relationship with Zaluzhny. He must be responsible for the result on the battlefield… I plan to work. I expect military decisions on mobilization and very specific things on the battlefield… I have no personal questions with him. That’s all.” personally with my wife.”
19.20. Zelensky: “I’ll defend civilians a little… One warrior is six civilians paying taxes. Take 500 thousand people and tell me how we and the government can find +3 million taxpayers since January?”
19.35. The President said that through Russia The exchange of prisoners has slowed down, but “the track will open, work is now underway on a new exchange.”
19.36. “We had difficulties during the counter-offensive in the South, because everyone was talking about it and analyzing it, it doesn’t work like that with the Russian Federation, they have more weapons.”
19.37. Zelensky stated that will not sign the Law on the Mobilization of Women. And regarding the mobilization age of 25 years old, he said: “If all the arguments regarding the need for this are presented, then I will agree with this.”
19.42. When asked about the Ukrainian production of drones and providing them to the army, the president said: “I have a positive attitude towards increasing the production of drones and creating units… It was loud at Headquarters, because 26 thousand drones were in a warehouse and did not reach the front, we will overcome this.” . Ukraine will produce a million drones next year, Zelensky promised.
19.45. “Opening of Boryspil airport “This is very serious, we ask our colleagues this question, we need more air defense, we are working on opening it,” Zelensky.
19.55. There will be no reduction in assistance to displaced people, Zelensky announced.
19.59. The President believes that many Ukrainians will return to the country when air defense is strengthened and assistance to our people in the European Union and the United States is reduced.
President Vladimir Zelensky assures that Ukraine will not change the strategy aimed at liberating all occupied territories, but may change tactics by the end of 2023. An AFP journalist asked if Zelensky, given the “lack of breakthroughs at the front,” was thinking about changing strategy, including returning territories to the 1991 borders, as well as changing military leadership. The President answered only the first part of the question:
“The strategy cannot be changed, according to our Constitution. These are all our territories. As for tactics, tactics can be changed after the results of our actions in the south of Ukraine in 2023 are taken into account. By the end of the year we will receive an understanding… Our the next plans, the next steps – sorry, will remain only with us for now.”
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