Ukraine War: Tanks, Peace Talks, Putin and Boris Johnson – Key Takeaways from Kay Burley’s Interview with Volodymyr Zelensky | world News

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Kay Burley sat down with President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv for an exclusive interview with Sky News.

In a wide-ranging discussion, everything from tanks, family, Vladimir Putin, Boris Johnson and the president’s birthday was covered.

Here are five key points from the interview.

Russia sends warnings to the US about tanks – last time in Ukraine

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1:34 Why does Ukraine need new tanks?

on tanks

The president explained that the number of Russian tanks exceeds the number of vehicles owned by Ukrainian forces.

Zelensky, who learned of Germany’s decision to send Leopard 2 tanks during his interview with Sky News, said he wanted to thank Europe and the US – but added that they could waste no time getting them to the front line.

He said: “We need 300 or 500 tanks now. That’s why I think we need tanks to launch an offensive on our territory, on our land. We need armored vehicles to protect our people, that’s all.

“I am very happy and would like to thank Germany, thank Britain, thank the United States for making such decisions. And in general I am grateful to the world for their support of Ukraine.

“But if we speak frankly and honestly with you, the number of tanks and the time of delivery is of decisive and decisive importance, compared to the decision that was made. We have approved the cases of weapons that will be sent to us, but we still have not received them.

“Sometimes the delivery of weapons takes months, you understand? I don’t blame anyone, but in response to your question, relief comes only after the weapons provided to us by our partners have already been used by our army.”

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2:55 The soldiers are getting ready in Bakhmut

To fight the Russians

Zelensky made it clear that he had no plans to seize territory in Russia, saying all he wanted was for Moscow’s forces to leave Ukraine.

He said: “We are not fighting on Russian soil, because we are not interested in it. We are not interested in it.”

“Because war, wherever it may be, means losing people. For me, people are the first priority. That is why I do not want to fight on Russian soil.”

“I just want them to stop the war as soon as possible and leave our country as soon as possible.

“I can tell you for sure if they leave our lands the war will stop. That’s all.”

Photo: The Ukrainian leader said that peace talks with Vladimir Putin would be useless. Pic: AP

About peace talks with Putin

Zelensky said that peace talks with Russia while Vladimir Putin is still president would be pointless.

He said: “You know, so far there are no peace talks with Russia… because we don’t know who we should be negotiating with, and about what kind of peace talks?

“For the time being, these are just criminals who came here and were killing and raping. This is what they were doing.

“They don’t want any talks, and that was the case before the invasion. President Putin decided that. I am convinced that Ukraine is just a first step for him. I am convinced that he is in a big war.”

“Having the whole world help Ukraine now – he’s not thinking about it. He’s thinking ‘Okay, it’s not going to work in Ukraine now but we’ll wait…the world won’t stay united, they’re going to get tired and I’m going to move some more.'”

“But after Ukraine there will be other steps, there will be other countries, if we fail to hold out.”

Read more: Zelenskyy ‘grateful’ for tanks but warns quantity and delivery time ‘critical’ Germany sends 14 Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine What are Leopard 2 combat tanks?

The president added that before the invasion, Putin had not met for talks because he had no intention of keeping the peace, saying, “He was just trying to mislead us. He doesn’t want negotiations because he doesn’t want peace. He can slow things down.”

“They were sending messages about peace talks and we have evidence of that only when they needed time to regroup on the battlefield.

“When they suffered heavy losses, they would say they wanted peace. This is a lie. We saw them say they wanted peace and then strike with missiles at night.

“We hope that as soon as Russia withdraws its troops to its territory, they will admit their big mistakes, and there will be a new government in the Russian Federation. We are neighbors. Only then will we resolve this situation. After that, talks will probably be possible.

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1:06 Johnson makes a surprise visit to Ukraine

on Boris Johnson

And when asked if he would welcome Boris Johnson as the UK’s special envoy to Ukraine, he enthusiastically agreed – describing the former prime minister as a “good man”.

But when asked if he would support Mr Johnson if he ran for prime minister again, Mr Zelensky was more diplomatic, saying: “I think it’s not true for me to support Johnson to be prime minister when Rishi is prime minister, it’s not true. Right,” I’m completely sorry.”

Never lose your sense of humor

Before a life of politics and war, Mr. Zelensky was an actor and comedian.

When asked about the importance of preserving his sense of humor, he said: “I have not lost my sense of humor.

“I think when people lose that, they lose … the state of mind. I think so. You have to focus and be very serious not in months.

“You have to do that in very important moments, in very difficult decisions, you have to be smart and you have to be appropriate and you have to be brave because you are the leader.

“You have to be strong and that’s why a sense of humor shows, when you can joke, it shows sometimes of course, it shows that you’re okay, that you’re strong, that you’re in control of the situation.

“It is very important to control the situation. And that’s it. No one can make decisions without you. Because the outcome, so, I mean, the outcome depends on you.”

“That’s why you have to focus. Humor makes you human.”

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