Zelensky: "Ukraine and Europe are part of a whole"

The bond with the European Union is strong and, during these years of war, it has evolved; it has become a two-way relationship – receiving, of course, but also giving and giving back. Volodymyr Zelensky explains this in an interview with Marta Serafini of Corriere della Sera: “Europe must help Ukraine, and Ukraine will always help Europe: we are part of a whole. We have gained a wealth of experience to share on technical, technological and legal levels. Some countries have Patriot missiles: we need help to prepare for winter. It is in everyone’s interest. If the skies are protected, people will stay in Ukraine for as long as possible. If we move towards the end of the war, they will return.” Zelensky feels close to Europe; he thinks in the plural: a ‘we’. Ukraine is ready to share knowledge with the EU; it is ready to give back what it has received from European countries since Russia invaded. But the war is still raging; Russia still controls part of Ukrainian territory. And there is an America that has favoured the invader – Putin’s Russia – over the invaded. ‘They haven’t given us the Patriots: they’re simply asking us to stop. Then come the intelligence restrictions and the reduction in Starlink’s speed. These are no longer mere threats: the restrictions have been imposed. It is unfair to us. We remain grateful to the American people and to Trump’s team, who want to end the war. We meet and talk, but there must be honesty between partners.’

Honesty, just as in our relationship with Italy. “I am grateful to the Italians and to those who have supported us from the very beginning. But this is not a relationship in which Italy helps and Ukraine gives nothing in return. We share our experience regarding weapons: which ones work, which ones don’t, and what improvements our engineers and military personnel have introduced. We have productive partnerships in both countries and an excellent relationship with Leonardo. This exchange also helps Italian technology to advance. Italians work in the factories in Italy: these are jobs, not just aid to Ukraine. We must continue in this way, not least to build Europe’s air defence capabilities.”

Look to the post-Zelensky era; try to imagine a post-war Ukraine. A Ukraine that will even be able to go to the polls to elect a new president. Russian propaganda accuses him of not wanting elections, of preferring war to going to the polls. The reality is different: ‘Under drones and missiles, how can open and democratic elections be organised, with Western observers? I don’t think it’s possible. When the Russians raise this issue, we understand why: they think that replacing the president would make everything easier for them. I find it strange that our American partners are doing the same. The Europeans understand that dividing the country risks triggering that tsunami, overwhelming our ability to resist.” This propaganda is far more pervasive than people tend to believe: “Russia has long been waging a hybrid war against Europe, including against Italy, France, Britain and Germany. It is not a large-scale war that it is waging against us, but one waged through television, the media, the internet and social media. Citizens have the right to be satisfied or dissatisfied with their own governments; they must not be manipulated by Russian campaigns.”

Winter is just around the corner and life in Kyiv and across Ukraine will be extremely tough. Zelensky is seeking interceptors to protect energy infrastructure, knowing it will be difficult to obtain them. Meanwhile, he is trying to look to the future, to when the war will be over. “Our army is a tangible guarantee and can strengthen European forces with its experience and the strength of its personnel. NATO means belonging to the same security alliance, with the legal rights of allies. EU membership depends on Europe; NATO membership depends on Europe and the United States. If it is not NATO, what alternative are we being offered? We are ready to discuss equivalent guarantees, even under a different name, but they must have the same legal force. We are not just talking about what we want, but about what can work. “NATO would act as a deterrent for both sides.”