Zelensky's ultimatum to US: More arms or intensified strikes on Russia

"Give us weapons to stop the Russian attacks, or Ukraine will intensify its strikes on Russian energy infrastructure and other strategic targets," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated in an interview with the "Washington Post." He acknowledged that the US administration disapproves of the attacks on Russian refineries.

As the paper's columnist David Ignatius reports, during the interview conducted in Kyiv, Zelensky delivered a forceful message to the US Congress:

"Give us weapons to stop the Russian attacks, or Ukraine will escalate its counterattacks on Russian airports, energy facilities, and other strategic targets," the President of Ukraine declared.

The Ukrainian President mentioned that although Ukraine has managed to stabilize the situation at the front, without additional ammunition supplies, it will be forced to retreat, shorten the front line and prevent the Russians from reaching major cities.

"The lack of US support means we have no air defense, Patriot missiles, electronic warfare jammers, or artillery shells of 155 mm calibre. This leads us to retreat, gradually, step by step," he pointed out. He also admitted that Ukraine has too few missiles for its air defense systems.

Zelensky confirmed earlier statements reported by the "Financial Times" that the US authorities are discontented with the Ukrainian strikes on refiners in Russia, which contributed to the rise in oil prices.

"The US reaction to this was not positive," he admitted. He also underscored that Washington can't prevent Ukraine from making further such attacks because it utilizes its own drones. He stressed that this is a direct response to Russian attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure, and announced that if Russia halts its bombings, Ukraine will reciprocate.

"If there's no air defense to protect our energy system and the Russians attack it, my question is: why can't we respond? Their society has to learn to live without petrol, diesel, without electricity (...), it's fair," he remarked.

When asked whether Joe Biden is overcautious in supporting Ukraine, he opined that the US President fears a nuclear attack from Russia. Zelensky doesn't believe that Vladimir Putin would take such a risk, but admitted that the Russian leader is unpredictable.

"He is mad. Nobody in the world can say for sure what he will do. That's why Biden is cautious," he observed.