Zelenskyy interviewed by CNN, calls on the West to continue pressuring Russia
On March 15, Zelenskyy told the American CNN that Putin had not really intended to end the war against Ukraine, and the previous signals of negotiations from the Russian side were more a strategy. He believes that only under sustained pressure from the United States will Russia take a more sincere position in the negotiations.
Zelenskyy said that Western sanctions and the Ukrainian army's long-range strikes on Russian energy infrastructure have clearly affected the Russian economy. According to Ukrainian intelligence assessments, Russia will face a fiscal deficit of over $100 billion by 2026. However, he also pointed out that the situation in the Middle East around Iran has driven up energy prices, giving Russia about $10 billion in additional revenue within two weeks, which has somewhat strengthened Moscow's confidence in continuing the war.
In terms of military matters, Zelenskyy revealed that the Russian forces had originally planned to launch a large-scale offensive between the end of 2025 and the spring of 2026, but the Ukrainian army successfully prevented this plan through proactive countermeasures. He emphasized that drone technology has become a key factor on the battlefield, and currently, the Russian army loses about 30,000 to 35,000 soldiers each month, a considerable portion of which is related to Ukrainian drone strikes.
Zelenskyy also said that the current form of warfare is rapidly moving toward "air-based" operations, especially in the conflict environment of the Middle East, where the importance of drones and air defense systems is becoming increasingly prominent. Some Middle Eastern countries have begun to pay attention to the experience and technology accumulated by Ukraine in drone interception and air defense operations. Middle East situation #Ukraine-Russia conflict
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1859775926939716/
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