British media: Zelensky claims to be "prepared for a long-term war"
The website of The Economist published an exclusive interview with Ukrainian President Zelensky on September 10th. The report states that Zelensky is preparing for a long-term war. He said, "For a long-term war, I must be prepared. Emotionally, I am ready."
According to the report, Zelensky realized that Ukraine would face enormous risks if the West began to reduce economic support. This will not only harm the Ukrainian economy, but also weaken Ukraine's combat capability. Given that multiple Western allies will hold elections next year, Zelensky knows that maintaining support for Ukraine will be difficult, especially in the absence of significant progress on the front line.
Zelensky predicts that if Biden is re elected as president, he will continue his current policy. "Do they want Afghanistan to repeat that scene?" In addition, Zelensky hopes that the EU will not only continue to provide assistance, but also initiate Ukraine's accession negotiations this year. It is widely expected that this will be achieved at the summit in December.
According to reports, in response to Western countries' complaints about Ukraine's slow counterattack, Zelensky stated that this reflects the extreme danger of the counterattack. The Ukrainian military needs to reduce risks by conducting reconnaissance, using drones, and avoiding direct conflicts. Zelensky said that if Ukraine follows the advice and sends more troops, it will lose "thousands of people".
The report points out that after several months of raising expectations for counterattacks, Zelensky is cautiously adjusting his rhetoric to be closer to reality. He stated that victory will not come "tomorrow or the day after", but victory is also not a fantasy, and the West should support Ukraine.
The report mentioned that Zelensky loudly knocked on the table, directly opposing compromise with Putin. Zelensky stated that as long as Russia remains on Ukrainian territory, the war will continue.
Zelensky believes that reducing aid to Ukraine will only prolong the duration of the war. This will also lead to risks in the backyard of the West. No one can predict how millions of Ukrainian refugees in European countries will react after Ukraine is abandoned. Ukrainians generally perform well and are very grateful to those who provide shelter. But if we push Ukrainians to the corner, it's not a good thing for Europe.
The report states that a prolonged war of attrition will mean Ukraine will face a choice. The country will lose more population, and Ukraine will need a "fully militarized economy" at that time. Zelensky said that the government will have to tell the people about such prospects. Nearly 19 months after the outbreak of war, the Ukrainian President stated that he was "morally" prepared to make adjustments.