Ukraine says arms delivery "is key" and calls for long-range missiles for "correct end of war"

Podoliak stresses that Spain "provides help in all possible directions" and that "it has quickly understood that Ukraine is on the right side of the conflict"

MADRID, 17 Ene. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The main adviser to the Ukrainian Presidency, Mikhailo Podoliak, stressed on Tuesday that "the question of sending weapons is key" to allow new advances by the Ukrainian Army and has called for the delivery of long-range missiles to be able to attack furthest Russian positions in the framework of the war, unleashed on February 24, 2022 by order of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"We need long-range missiles", Podoliak said in an interview with RNE collected by Europa Press, in which he explained that "after using the HIMARS systems effectively, Russia has changed the position of its ammunition, projectile and missile bases, a hundred or 150 kilometers to be out of range."

"We need long-range missiles to be able to fight against these structures because Russia is fighting with a large number of mobilized people and a large number of projectiles. If we manage to eliminate this, it will be effective," he stated, before stressing the need for the delivery of heavy battle tanks "to hasten unemployment and achieve the correct end of the war."

Thus, he pointed out that kyiv needs between 250 and 400 heavy combat tanks "to be able to equip several Army brigades and be able to advance", while highlighting progress in "closing the skies of Ukraine to protect the energy infrastructure through the use of air defense systems. "We are achieving that," she stressed.

Podoliak has highlighted that Russia maintains "a fairly simple tactic" in the war and has outlined that "it does not matter who leads the occupation operation", after Russia replaced Sergei Surovikin with General Valeri Gerasimov as head of the deployed Russian forces in Ukraine.

"The change of general doesn't matter," he said, before denouncing that Moscow has "several strategies" in the war: "missile attacks throughout the country; attacks against energy infrastructure with the aim of breaking the Ukrainian integrity and generating a deficit of water and heating so that people freeze and have problems and generate psychological pressure; and mobilize a lot of people, but without sufficient preparation".

"They want to attack with numerical superiority and they will continue to do so, especially in Lugansk and Donetsk," he argued, before indicating that Moscow "has used a lot of projectiles and ammunition." "They have used almost their entire arsenal and reserve, even old artillery systems and old tanks from the Soviet Union," she pointed out.

In this sense, he has pointed to a change in "attitude" on the part of Western countries towards Ukraine in relation to the war and has argued that "to persuade someone, you have to have a logical explanation." "In the first months of the war there was a different attitude, but now European countries understand that the war cannot be ended as it was done in 2014 and that Russia cannot continue to act politically as before," she said.

"There is a common understanding that you have to end the war as Ukraine needs. Before, they were afraid of Russia, of speaking ill of Russia, of the escalation of the conflict. Now they have another concept. They understand that if they do not support Ukraine, it will be the other way around. Everything possible must be done to help Ukraine. In that case there will be no escalation. The more weapons they give to Ukraine, the better the situation will be," he said.

However, he has acknowledged the doubts in Germany regarding the war and has pointed out that "it is perhaps the most conservative country." "Since 1997 it has been an important partner of Russia, especially in the energy sphere," she said, before indicating that, on the other hand, Berlin "has already changed its mind." "Germany needs to be a European leader," she said.

Podoliak has also avoided commenting on the resignation of the German Defense Minister, Christine Lambrecht, after the controversy unleashed in the country as a result of a congratulatory video published on New Year's Eve in which he spoke of the war in Ukraine with fireworks and firecrackers. background. "It doesn't matter who will be her successor," he pointed out, before arguing that if the German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, supports a certain position on the conflict, "the entire government will support it."

Podoliak has also stated that "Russia does not propose negotiations, it proposes an ultimatum and wants to keep the occupied territories, dictate its conditions, dominate in Europe." "European countries have realized this," he said, before reiterating that "negotiations can only start after completely vacating the territories, including the areas that were occupied in 2014."

"Russia must suffer a military defeat. Only after this will she understand that you cannot act this way, that you cannot enter the territory of other countries, that you cannot kill people. She will have to pay reparations for decades and also A court will be needed to try war criminals and those responsible for unleashing this war," he said.

The adviser to the Ukrainian president, Volodimir Zelenski, has pointed out that in these possible peace talks "the demilitarized zone will also be discussed, because the Russian Army with tanks cannot be near the border of any country." "Food security, nuclear security, the security zone in the Black Sea will also be discussed", although he has stressed that "if some Russian soldiers continue in Ukraine, the war can be considered not over and that at any moment in the future can continue".

Lastly, he expressed his gratitude to Spain for the "help" it is providing to kyiv in the context of the conflict. "I appreciate everything that Spain does. Spain understands our values ​​and our ideology in this war. Our priorities are the same as those of the European Union (EU): competition, democracy, freedom," she assured.

"Spain provides aid in all possible directions, it has quickly understood that Ukraine is on the right side of the conflict. It helps us with weapons, with air defense, with everything it can. It also helps us in the humanitarian sphere, with money, aid that can be destined to the people who lost their houses and their work", has extolled.

Podoliak has also emphasized that Madrid "actively helps refugees and also gives us a lot of support in informing Latin American countries about the conflict." "Spain knows that Russia is an aggressor country and it is important, because Russia used to spend a lot of money on this information policy in Latin America," he stressed.