According to the president, Ukraine wants guarantees regarding the financing of the army and energy security, but “apart from pragmatic things, a global document is needed.”

Zelensky spoke about strengthening the army / photo REUTERS

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky stressed that Ukraine does not need soldiers with foreign flags on its territory.

He stated this in an interview with RBC-Ukraine .

“Today, no one is 100% sure that nothing will happen to them tomorrow. Even if they are in one or another union. Many have doubts,” the president said.

He noted that in addition to theoretical things, appeals, laws and resolutions of the parliament, there are also pragmatic ones, in particular, an increase in the army.

“We can increase the army two or three times, but then, for example, we won’t be able to build roads. This is a problem for us. Therefore, if you, our partners, say that these are our common values, then let’s spend on them together. And no, this is not altruism, it’s about the fact that tomorrow they will attack you. They will go further, after which there will be a migration crisis and so on,” Zelensky said.

The head of state said that he met with understanding from other leaders that Ukraine should receive such guarantees.

At the same time, he did not explain, during the conversation with whom specifically he met the corresponding understanding.

“We raised this issue to the level of those leaders who, as we believe, should be at this table. Who will give us guarantees, including the clause on a strong, secure, funded, armed army. These should still be countries that then, all of a sudden whatever happens, the powers that be should be held accountable,” the president said.

According to him, the very first point of such responsibility is the financing of the army.

“A powerful independent army on the territory of Eastern Europe, on the territory of Ukraine, which protects Ukraine and not only, because it deters any further encroachments. There is no know-how in this. Only today, all this is provided by the budget of Ukraine. With the exception of some weapons, which we partners supply. But I say again – they help themselves… But we are grateful to them. Without their help, the situation would have been clearly worse,” Zelensky said.

Another important point, in his opinion, is energy security, in particular on the issue of Nord Stream 2.

“We understand that no one will die for us. There are no questions. We say thank you. Moreover, we do not want to be in the role of a country that lives in the illusion that everyone will die for it, and when aggression starts, we will We are not ready. We definitely do not want this. We immediately admit that we do not need military people with other people’s flags on our territory,” the President stressed.

According to Zelensky, Ukraine does not ask for this, because then destabilization will be all over the world.

“We don’t want to give the Russian Federation another reason to say that we have bases here and that they need to ‘defend’ themselves. But we want everything else. Therefore, of course, apart from pragmatic things, we need a global document. We do not “We’ll manage and no one will. The powers that be, including the States and Russia, will sit down and sign that there is such a way. But there should be three, four, five points about the security of our country. Then this is a conversation,” he summed up.

(C)UNIAN 2022