President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine said Friday that he believes President Joe Biden wants to assist oppose the Russian invasion, but he cautioned that the leader of the free world won’t be able to show it unless he delivers badly needed fighter jets and missiles.
In a Fox News interview, Zelensky was asked if he believes Biden “wants Ukraine to win” or is concerned about Russian President Vladimir Putin’s reaction if his soldiers are beaten.
“I have faith that President Biden, like any true American citizen, believes and wants the truth to win — and the truth is on the side of Ukraine,” Zelensky said through a translator.
“I believe that they want the values that make our nations closer, to win. That’s freedom. That’s democracy. Freedom of speech. Freedom to choose. Freedom to choose your dignified life, work, who to live with, who to love, how many children to have.”
However, in comments clearly intended at the White House, Zelensky stated that Ukraine urgently required the fleet of Soviet-designed MiG-29 planes that Poland offered last month — and which Biden refused to transfer from Germany for fear of triggering World War III.
“We don’t want to receive a million of quality bulletproof vests, or some special brand helmets,” Zelensky said.
“Just give us missiles. Give us airplanes. You cannot give us F-18 or F-19 or whatever you have — give us the old Soviet planes. That’s all. Give them into my hands. Give me something to defend my country with.”
For the remote appearance, Zelensky, who was dressed in his usual olive-drab military T-shirt, also stated that he believes “that the people of the United States desire that.”
“But if this process gets longer, continues to be delayed, if we can see that the process of transferring those weapons is getting slower, then people will begin to ask the question: Is it really true? Maybe there is some game behind it,” he said.
“I don’t want to believe that some — some partners of ours are playing games. We want simple peace for our nation.”
Zelensky continued: “I don’t know if President Biden is fearing President Putin. I don’t — I believe that he doesn’t. I want to believe that he doesn’t. Because he’s the leader of a big nation, a great nation.”
The Ukrainian leader then gestured with both his hands, saying, “I’m holding my fists. That’s our tradition. I don’t know if you understand this.”
“I hold my fists or cross my fingers so that this will never happen — that any president of the United States would fear Russia, because America for us was always a symbol of democracy,” he said.
“And I have faith that Ukraine is also now.”
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