Ukraine’s ambassador to US: ‘We need to win’, but now we need ammunition

Next week could be crucial for Ukraine as U.S. lawmakers reconvene after the Easter holiday. One of the most pressing topics of discussion is President Joe Biden’s supplemental request, which includes $61 billion for Ukraine. Without these funds, U.S. aid to Ukraine will effectively cease.

Meanwhile, House Speaker Mike Johnson said he might be willing to loan weapons to Ukraine. Will this meet Kyiv’s urgent needs? What are the consequences of delaying aid? What are the prospects for its swift approval? We discussed the issue with Oksana Markalova, Ukraine’s ambassador to the United States, on Thursday.

The interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.

Voice of America: Madam Ambassador, since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, you have advocated for more help from U.S. partners. President Volodymyr Zelensky is reported to have said: “I need ammunition, not a free ride.” What Ukraine needs today as the Russians are massing their troops and possibly preparing for another offensive To stay strong?

Oksana Markalova, Ambassador of Ukraine to the United States: Well, nothing has changed and it won’t change until we win. So from President Zelensky to the defenders on the front lines, to everyone including me in Washington, we have one message: We need to win. To do this we need more weapons, more ammunition, more support for Ukraine and more sanctions to isolate and hold Russia to justice.

Now, we are at a critical moment in this fight. In the past two years, we have liberated 50% of the territory. Last year we literally liberated the Black Sea. We are conducting a very successful campaign against Russian forces, but we are not yet at the point where we can declare victory, it all depends on the availability of weapons and support. So, we must stay the course. We must continue to do what has worked before. We must do more.

Voice of America: President Biden has repeatedly said Ukraine has the support of both Republicans and Democrats in Congress.However, supplement [aid package] A vote has not yet taken place, largely due to several lawmakers including Speaker Johnson. When President Zelensky visited Washington, you participated in a meeting with Mr. Johnson. I’m curious, what would you say to convince him to pass this legislation?

Markalova: We do have strong bipartisan support, and we not only feel it, we know it. We’re talking to members of Congress and private citizens, and we’re hearing strong support from everyone, including Speaker Johnson. I mean, he openly supports why Ukraine needs to win.

Now, this year has been difficult, and I know that’s no excuse; it’s just that we have to work harder. This is the fifth supplementary package; four of them we have had in the past two years. Not all exams are easy to pass.But this started as a Ukrainian addition; that was during the speaker [Kevin] The McCarthy era, then the Speaker changed, and then there were discussions about joint supplements. So there are a lot of issues that are very important to the United States that have nothing to do with Ukraine. We became part of this plan, which delayed the discussion of this Ukrainian supplementary bill at different stages.

Now, since the Senate passed the supplemental package targeting Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan in February, there has been a lively discussion on Capitol Hill. We needed this support just yesterday. I think most people in the House understand that, too. So we all look forward to returning next week when the House recesses. As we heard Speaker Johnson say, I really hope that this will be one of the first things that the House starts talking about. We need to make a decision.

Voice of America: As you said, the political environment in Washington, D.C. is very dynamic. So you have to talk to multiple speakers, and the speakers have changed a few times in the last year. How do you convey your message about Ukraine’s needs? Is it difficult to establish that human contact with them?

Markalova: Well, it’s a big team working on this. As you said, President Zelensky met with Speaker Johnson during this period. They just had a great phone call last week. But when I talk to people, whether it’s the speaker’s office or any senator, congressman, administration or whoever, I don’t think it’s hard to find a style of conversation that you’re talking about.

Ukraine is simply sharing what is really happening on the ground. You know, as we say, truth is our best weapon. We don’t need to figure out how to express it. We’re just updating our friends on what’s going on and why winning is important to all of us. Putin has publicly stated that his goals and intentions have not changed. He wants to destroy us. Everyone understands that this war is unprovoked and he attacks us without any reason. This is a genocidal, terrorist war by an authoritarian state against a peaceful, democratic, much smaller neighbor.

Voice of America: Do Americans understand the pain of Ukrainians?

Markalova: Yes. When you explain it to them, yes. The problem is providing them with information. Because there’s so much going on, when you’re not on TV, sometimes you disappear from the discussion. Frankly, people in some areas ask me if the war is still going on. I don’t mean to criticize them. I’m saying we have to draw attention to us.

That’s why all our brave journalists in Ukraine continue to work. It’s because of them that people around the world are able to see what’s happening, and as you know, we’ve lost over 70 people in Ukraine. They are reporters and photographers. Russia is targeting them.

Voice of America: Ambassador and Speaker Johnson recently said he might be willing to consider loans to Ukraine, such as Lend-Lease 2.0. However, the U.S. State Department criticized these efforts, saying it was unacceptable to place additional burdens on Ukraine during a war. Given the dire situation on the front line, will Ukraine consider loans rather than supplements?

Markalova: The Lend-Lease Act of 2022 addresses some of the military support provided during presidential drawdowns. This allows the United States to provide not only grants from its own inventory through the PDA, but also leasing or loan programs. There are various options for what is being discussed now, but in general, support is provided to Ukraine in the form of loans. We’ve heard about zero-interest loans, long-term loans, and other options. We will see it when the actual proposal comes forward.

Of course any kind of support would be appreciated. Grants are preferred over loans because they also contribute to our macroeconomic and public financial stability. However, if the United States decides to provide aid, especially budget support, in the form of loans, it will be more challenging and have a greater impact than grants. Still, it’s much better than no assistance.

We are very grateful to the United States for not only providing us with help for two years, but also providing it in the form of free assistance, as you know, while other partners mostly provide concessional loans. So, this is also a viable option.

Voice of America: Ambassador, I’m curious, what’s the first thing you’re going to do after the war is over? If you can share. Have you ever thought about it?

Markalova: Gosh, I never thought about that. I think we will all be very pleased and delighted. I might take a day off, watch a movie, and sleep as much as I can. But jokes aside, I don’t know.

Again, right now, winning is the goal for all of us. But when we win the war, our mission is not over. The next step is to not only continue our efforts to rebuild, but also to bring Russia to justice. This is a comprehensive, very difficult task that is being carried out by a large team in Ukraine, also led by the president, but also the prosecutor general and all the investigators. You know, keep working, keep serving our country, keep doing what we can to win peace.