Oleksandr Lytvynenko, Secretary of the Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council, in an FT interview: “Even by maintaining the status quo, we can see opportunities to win”,
Oleksandr Lytvynenko, Secretary of the Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council, speaks at an international conference on Ukraine in February. February 25, 2024 © Reuters=News1 © News1 Kang Min-kyung reporter,
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, ‘(Seoul=News1) Reporter Kang Min-kyung = “It is very unfair regulation to say that the U.S. cannot strike targets inside Russia with the weapons it supplied”‘,
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, ‘Oleksandr Lytvynenko, Secretary of the Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council, said in an interview with the Financial Times (FT) released on the 21st (local time).’,
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, ‘Lytvynenko emphasized that the Biden administration should lift such regulations so that Ukraine can persevere in the war with Russia.’,
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, ‘He argued that the United States could strike Russian weapons depots, logistics hubs, and oil refineries inside Russian territory with missiles supplied by the United States to hinder Russia’s new offensive.’,
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, ‘However, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, during his visit to Kyiv last week, reiterated the existing position by saying, “The U.S. has not encouraged using American weapons to strike Russian territory.”‘,
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, ‘Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also lamented that discussions with the U.S. on attacking Russian territory were solely for defensive purposes and yielded no positive results.’,
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, ◇ “Russia’s goal is a bigger war with NATO”,
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, ‘Lytvynenko claimed that Russia’s ultimate goal is not Ukraine but preparing for a larger war with the West and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).’,
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, ‘He explained that this was also the background for President Putin’s replacement of the defense minister with Andrei Belousov, an economic bureaucrat.’,
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, ‘He said, “Ukraine is important (to Russia), but it is not the ultimate goal,” and asserted that “Putin will not stop here.”‘,
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, ‘He also called on Western countries to strengthen sanctions against Russia.’,
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, ‘He said, “Western sanctions are proving effective,” and added, “This means that Putin cannot produce the most sophisticated weapons.”‘,
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, ‘While Russia has been able to produce cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, and drones on a large scale as it transitions to a wartime economy, it has made little progress in developing new technologies, according to him.’,
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, ‘Lytvynenko acknowledged that the chances of Ukraine securing a breakthrough on the battlefield this year are slim. However, he said, “By maintaining the status quo and continuing to fight, there is a chance to win.”‘, ‘]