Ukraine*** and Secretary of the National Defense Council Oleksei Danilov admitted in an interview that the plan originally planned to launch in May this year "** did not materialize, but he is confident that he will receive a new round of US defense aid." In May, he acknowledged that the Ukrainian people were desperate for an end to the war, but had not been able to do so. Still, he is proud that Ukraine has held out for two years and believes that this in itself is already a huge victory.
Commenting on the situation on the front, he described it as "very difficult" and noted that Ukraine is facing an unprecedented war that cannot learn from past war experiences, including those in which NATO has been involved. Ukrainian forces had hoped to recapture large swathes of lost territory and cut off Russian supply lines to Crimea. However, due to the lack of air superiority, as well as in the face of strong Russian defenses, coupled with the coming winter, the advance on the front line was forced to stall. In anticipation of the harsh winter, Ukraine is strengthening its frontline defenses.
Acknowledging that they were overly optimistic, Danilov said that "people sometimes make mistakes and no one can always perform well". Although he did not say when Ukraine would regain its lost territory, he firmly stated that Ukraine will continue to fight for freedom and independence. On the issue of a new round of defense assistance from the United States, Danilov is confident and hopes to receive this gift before Christmas, which will be a very happy thing for Ukraine. Ukrainian ** Zelensky previously gave a speech in Washington, seeking military assistance from the United States.
Currently, Ukraine is doing its best to secure a new aid package from the United States. Previously, the $60 billion U.S. aid package for Ukraine was bogged down by domestic partisan politics, and some U.S. Republican lawmakers were skeptical about further funding. Zelensky, who arrived in Washington on December 11 and asked for U.S. assistance, said "we hope we can count on you." On December 12, Zelensky will meet with Biden in the United States, his third visit to the United States since the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
According to the statement released by the White House on the 10th, the main purpose of Zelensky's visit is to emphasize the commitment made by the United States to the Ukrainian people and once again express firm support for it.