class=”sc-cffd1e67-0 fmXrkB”>
Olexi Danilov (61) is head of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine. And therefore one of the most important figures in the war. His country is in big trouble. But during the Skype interview with Blick, the 61-year-old seemed relaxed. One thing in particular is giving him confidence right now.
Mr Danilov, the Ukrainian counter-offensive has not achieved a breakthrough. What went wrong?
Nothing went wrong. The front in this war is enormous. In some areas the offensive did not go as planned, but in other areas we achieved great success. Consider, for example, the successful attacks on the occupiers in Crimea or the attacks on the Russian Black Sea Fleet.
Is the West, which has been hesitant of late, partly responsible for the failure of the counter-offensive to make a breakthrough?
Switzerland also belongs to the West. Have you supplied us with weapons?
No.
Then you know the answer. Almost no country, not even Switzerland, could defeat an opponent like Russia without weapons and support from allies.
Switzerland maintains its neutrality. What do you expect from our country in the coming year?
To this day, Switzerland has not understood one thing: Hitler and Putin are twins in spirit. If you want to see the Russians slaughtering women and children in Zurich anytime soon, just sit back and watch. But honestly, how can you remain neutral when you see a country killing thousands of children and raping women? We are deeply grateful to your country for providing protection to so many of our families. But now we need weapons.
A conference on President Zelensky’s peace formula will take place in Switzerland on January 14. Will he come to Davos in person?
The President’s Office is currently considering this issue. I can’t say more about that.
What do you want to achieve with the conference?
We want to win as many supporters as possible for our ten-point peace plan. We have already done that at previous conferences. We have clearly written down the conditions under which we will make peace with Russia. The terrorists must withdraw from our entire territory, including Crimea. This war will not end sooner.
They repeatedly emphasize that Ukraine will liberate every occupied square meter of the country. The whole world is wondering: when? When will the war be over?
There is no one who knows that. Essentially it depends on what the West will do. In November, Britain and the US assured us that they would support us to the end. We need this support.
The US has stopped supporting Ukraine. Without new American weapons – Himars missiles, tanks, ammunition – Kiev will soon have to capitulate.
In war you always have problems, always. That’s part of it. But our people will defend the country no matter what. The question of American aid is a purely technical one. We will solve them.
There is also a shortage of soldiers: according to Zelensky, the army leadership wants to recruit almost 500,000 new soldiers. Will women, older men and previously spared fathers with more than three children also be called up?
We will not force women and older men to serve in the military! Anyone who claims otherwise becomes a victim of Russian propaganda. The Army’s demand for 500,000 new soldiers should not end in tragedy: we don’t need them all at once. This is a completely normal recruitment process. We want to be able to maintain our rotation system so that our soldiers can recover and visit their families.
Defense Minister Rustem Umjerov now wants to mobilize Ukrainians living abroad to bridge the bottlenecks. How do you get these men back to Ukraine?
We will adjust our laws accordingly. Once these changes are implemented, we can talk about them again. Now it’s too early.
What about the refugee women? Millions of them still live abroad. Should you return to help the country in the difficult period?
Where should they go? We are at war here. The terrorists completely destroyed many cities. Many of these people here have lost everything they had.
The calls for negotiations with Putin are growing louder. Under what circumstances would you sit with him?
Zelensky’s peace plan clearly regulates this: the Russians must withdraw from our country. There will be no negotiations before then.
They repeatedly emphasize that Putin’s empire will ‘die’. What makes you so confident?
Russia will collapse soon, I’m sure. The West had the wrong idea about Moscow. Russia is a colossus with feet of clay. And Putin will end up like Hitler: he will shoot himself in a bunker – or be killed beforehand.
His re-election as president on March 17, 2024 appears safe.
Putin wants to divide Europe and weaken NATO. And look what happened: Finland is new to NATO, Sweden will soon be too, we are a candidate for EU membership. He’s a bad strategist.
Ukraine should also hold presidential elections next year. Do you find room?
How should that work? Where should the residents of Bakhmut go to vote? How should a soldier at the front cast his vote? Holding presidential elections in a war like the one we are waging here is an impossibility.
President Zelensky’s popularity ratings have recently fallen. There are rumors of alleged disputes between him and army chief Valery Salushni. What is the mood in the Ukrainian leadership team?
The mood is good! We have overcome the difficulties. Of course we discuss things, and of course sometimes things get heated. It is wrong to conclude that we are arguing. The collaboration is intensive. Zelenskiy met with army leadership 123 times for negotiations.
Ukraine has been an official candidate for EU membership since December. How can the EU benefit from Ukraine?
Europe can learn from us how to defend itself and how to fight for its values.
What adjustments are needed to make Ukraine suitable for the EU?
Ukraine must become bilingual. English should be introduced as a compulsory school subject throughout the country. My grandchildren can speak English. You can help us as a translator at the next job interview.
They have experienced the war firsthand for almost two years, have lost their home and find themselves in a difficult situation. Is there anything that gives you hope?
Our people give me hope. The people are strong and brave. We are not just fighting for Ukraine, we are fighting for all of Europe. Do not forget that!
Olexi Danilov (61) is head of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine. This means that the trained veterinarian and history teacher plays a major role in the war cabinet of Volodymyr Selensky (45). Every morning at 7 a.m. he informs the president about the most important news from the secret services, the army and politics. Since the beginning of the war, he has organized and coordinated work at the headquarters in Kiev.
Olexi Danilov (61) is head of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine. This means that the trained veterinarian and history teacher plays a major role in the war cabinet of Volodymyr Selensky (45). Every morning at 7 a.m. he informs the president about the most important news from the secret services, the army and politics. Since the beginning of the war, he has organized and coordinated work at the headquarters in Kiev.
Translation: Dina Didenko
Source: Blick
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
