EXCLUSIVE: A top Ukrainian diplomat vowed to beat Russia as President Putin "hid in one bunker after another" following the mutiny by Wagner forces.
Igor Zhovkva, 43, deputy head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, said that while Putin was wrestling “with a domestic descent into chaos”, the country was negotiating with the rest of the world to end the war.
He said “good progress was made” at a peace conference in Copenhagen on Saturday with the G7, EU, and representatives of the Global South.
Igor Zhovkva, 43, deputy head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, said that while Putin was wrestling “with a domestic descent into chaos”, the country was negotiating with the rest of the world to end the war.
He said “good progress was made” at a peace conference in Copenhagen on Saturday with the G7, EU and representatives of the Global South.
Mr Zhovkva added Ukraine would join the EU and Nato “as soon as it is possible to do so” and remained convinced the country would win the war.
The close adviser to President Zelensky told the Daily Express: “We will win, it is certain, and I will tell you why we will win.
“Because we value the life of every soldier, unlike Russia. The best people of our country are fighting on the front line.
“The level of desire to defend the country is enormous. We are fighting for our motherland, for every single inch of the territory of Ukraine including Crimea.
“What are the Russians fighting for, look at what has happened to the Wagner Group? Ask them why they are fighting and they will not be able to give you a clear answer.”
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| President Zelensky (Image: GETTY) |
Mr Zhovkva said of the Copenhagen conference: “While Putin was in hiding somewhere, trying to protect himself from a Russian terrorist force he himself created, consultations were taking place.
“Copenhagen is a clear signal of international respect for Ukraine and its struggle for territorial integrity and sovereignty.
“We understand we cannot join Nato while the war continues, but preparatory work can be done, so that at the moment of our victory we can join the Alliance immediately.
“In addition, we hope to start negotiations to enter the EU by the end of this year.
“Once this is achieved I believe Ukraine will be a model country protecting the whole of Europe from the Russian Federation.
“Because once we have driven Putin out of our country, do you think the Russians will say ‘OK’ and give up? Of course not. So we will need to maintain the strongest army in Europe to defend the continent against this constant threat.”
He praised Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and the United Kingdom “for leading the way” in providing military support.
He was impressed with the performance of the UK Storm Shadow missile which carries a 450kg explosive warhead up to 155 miles and is guided by GPS.
He said: “You can’t even imagine the difference (Storm Shadow) is making...it is a game-changer.
“When we are talking with other countries about the support they can give us, it is the United Kingdom we hold up as an example of what can be done and what should be done.”
Mr Zhovkva condemned Russia’s destruction of the Kakhovka Dam in a bid to thwart the current Ukrainian offensive as an act of “terrorism”.
He said: “This is an attack on critical infrastructure. That is against Article 54 of the Geneva Convention. It is a terrorist attack. We were disappointed the G7 did not do more...to let Putin know he cannot get away with it.
“His next threat is to cause a nuclear incident at Zaporizhzhia, the biggest nuclear power plant in Europe. This must be stopped.”
He was speaking after the Ukraine Recovery Conference at which foreign donors pledged more than £50billion to rebuild the country’s infrastructure.
He said: “It is important for businesses to know that...we will be an EU country in which they can invest successfully.
“In the meantime, some of the most heroic efforts in our country have been to repairs to our critical infrastructure.
“People working around the clock in the middle of winter to make good the damage when the Russians hit our energy system and power plants, for example. Within a day, power was restored.”
Dressed in khaki combat trousers and a T-shirt bearing the slogan The Power Of Freedom, the diplomat was cautiously optimistic about the progress of the Ukrainian offensive.
He said: “Our president has said this is not a movie. We have to fight smart.
“We are outnumbered by the Russians, they have the quantity but it is we who have the quality.
“We are not prepared to throw away the lives of our countrymen like the Russians.
“What we need now to succeed is combat jet aircraft and more long-range artillery.
“We have the people who have shown they can be trained to operate modern weaponry with great speed and effectiveness.
“Combat jets will allow us to defend our air space and our people can go on to win.”
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