If Vladimir Putin is not stopped in Ukraine, he will go further, and after that, the U.S. will have to defend NATO countries that were previously part of the USSR or within its sphere of influence. President Volodymyr Zelensky said this during his visit to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute, responding to questions from Fox News host Bret Baier.
The head of state expressed hope that American policy on supporting Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression will not change after the presidential elections in November, and it is important for Vladimir Putin to know this.
"Everything depends only on the decision of the American people, not on one person. Putin always relies on dividing the world, dividing the U.S., dividing European countries. He fears unity," Volodymyr Zelensky said.
The President also thanked partners for the decision to strengthen Ukraine's air defense with five additional Patriot systems. He noted that more air defense systems are needed because Ukraine has a large territory, and Russia uses and combines different types of missiles and changes tactics.
Ukraine needs long-range weapons and permission to use them on airfields in Russia from where planes constantly launch guided bombs at our country. Additionally, Ukraine is eagerly awaiting F-16 fighters. Both the timing and the number of these aircraft are crucial.
"Russia uses 300 combat aircraft against Ukraine. We need at least 128 aircraft to counter them, and these figures are known to our partners," the President emphasized.
