Zelenskyy explains why Ukraine's forces don't launch major counteroffensives
Photo: Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine (Vitalii Nosach/RBC-Ukraine)
The size of the Ukrainian army today is not enough to liberate large territories. But it is capable of holding back the enemy, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says in an interview with 60 Minutes.
"Our army cannot be reduced, because in this number it is currently holding back the enemy. We are not conducting any major operations for de-occupation. No. This number (Ukrainian forces - ed.) is not enough for that. And that's why the most important thing is to restrain the enemy. And that is exactly what we are doing. And therefore, the number we have - it cannot be reduced," Zelenskyy stated.
According to the Ukrainian president, the primary guarantee of Ukraine’s security is precisely the support, staffing, and funding of its own army - not its reduction.
Russia's demands
Last year, media resources reported what Russia had demanded of Ukraine at the beginning of the invasion. At that time, one of the conditions set by the terrorist state was to reduce the Ukrainian army to 50,000 troops. This also included the reduction of its weapons arsenal. Among other things, the enemy demanded that Ukraine neither produce, purchase, nor deploy missile weapons with a range of over 250 km on its territory.
As Zelenskyy previously emphasized, Ukraine will not agree to reduce its army, even in the event of an invitation to join NATO.
During his recent speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, the Ukrainian president also stated that Russia would likely demand a drastic reduction in the size of the Ukrainian army. In particular, Zelenskyy once again confirmed that Kyiv would not agree to such a scenario.
