The Ukrainian President Selenskyj warns that a situation like 2021 could occur in Afghanistan at the end of the Ukraine war. In the ARD show Maischberger He also said that agreements were without useless without the Ukraine.
Before the first talks between representatives of the United States and Russia on paths to a peace agreement for Ukraine, the Ukrainian President Wolodymyr Selenskyj warned the West to repeat mistakes from the past.
In the ARD Talksendend Maischberger Reminded Selenskyj of the overturned deduction of western troops from Afghanistan in 2021 and thus opposed a negotiation tactic that gives up crucial demands before the start of discussions.
With regard to explanations from the US government that Ukraine does not become a member of NATO, Selenskyj said: “You can't just take it off the table. It doesn't work that way. I don't think anyone is interested in an Afghanistan 2.0.”
The agreement on the withdrawal of western troops from Afghanistan had been negotiated in the first term by US President Donald Trump and was implemented in a very short time under his successor Joe Biden in 2021. This had led to a chaotic withdrawal from the country, while the Taliban took the capital Kabul in a short time after decades of fight and thus tore power in the country.
At that time, according to Selenskyj, “lack of respect for human life” led to the “tragedy”. “So there is experiences with what happens when someone ends something in no way and withdraws very quickly.”
The role of the USA
Selenskyj also campaigned for a strong role in the USA in Ukraine according to a peace agreement. Ukraine is now a different country than at the beginning of the Russian attack war and is “very experienced with its own armaments production”. But there will definitely not be a “victory of Ukraine without support from the United States”.
Talks about an armistice also have to include security guarantees. While Trump is pursuing the approach that a European Ukraine troop contingent should help, he said Trump “that the Americans should be there”. It is not just about troop strength: “It is an important demonstration of power to Putin that all allies protect Ukraine together.”
Selenskyj was deliberately showing that Trump had “really close relationships with Putin”. However, he pointed out that in his opinion there can be “not really good relationships between the heads of state of the United States and Russia – because these are different poles, completely different cultures, different values.”
He himself had many “positive conversations” with Trump. But now it depends on the result.
Not over the head of Ukraine
Selenskyj decidedly rejected agreements that are made without Ukraine – “there could be no question”. This is “futile because the war is with us, unfortunately on our floor”:
Everything that Russia and the United States can reconcile – if they want to reconcile anything – concern their bilateral relationships. You certainly cannot negotiate about our people and our lives. About an end of the war without us. We are an independent state.
No foregoing territory
Selenskyj also stood up against another position that the United States had taken on possible discussions with Russia Maischberger. He underlined that Ukraine is not willing to permanently waive parts of its state: “We will not give up our areas legally.”
At the same time, he was confident that the parts of his country, which were contrary to international law and annexed by Russia, will once again be part of the state area: “Of course we will bring everything back. The respect of international law will return. If not today, then tomorrow.”
Selenskyj said to the address of the new US Defense Minister Pete Hegseth, who had questioned exactly that: “The Minister of Defense should work deeper into the details. I think he needs time for that.”
But it is a problem “that the USA today say things that are very pleasant for Putin. I think that is the core. Because they want to please him. Know what? To meet each other and have a quick success. ” A ceasefire is “no success”.
Criticism of Europe
At the same time, Selenskyj criticized Maischberger Military deficits in Europe. “Europe is weak today,” he said. It has done a lot better in the past three years, but “as far as the troop strength is concerned, the number of combat troops, the fleet in terms of the Air Force, the drones,” Europe is weak.
At the same time, he underlined the connection of his country to the European countries: “I believe that Ukraine shares the same values with Europe. We are Europe. We are exactly like her.”
Is Russia plans an attack via Belarus?
This is also why he warned of a possible attack by Russian troops about Belarus. Russia is in the process of building 15 new divisions. It should be assumed that you “have a plan for the summer”, which can still be delayed until autumn.
Then Russia has 150,000 additional soldiers. The plan could be: “These 150,000 come together for an annual joint practice of Russia and Belarus in the field of Belarus.” So it was also before the fully invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Russia could go again – or choose another variant:
You could try to go a simpler – albeit riskier – away and attack the first NATO state. A NATO country that is not so large and has a troop contingent that is not sufficient. That could be Lithuania – or Poland. This risk. Our analysis shows that Russia thinks about attacking NATO countries.
Wolodymyr Selenskyj and his compatriots have been fighting against the Russian aggressors since 2022 – at Sandra Maischberger he talks about the prospects for his country and about what the war means for him personally.
The personal future
Selenskyj said that Russia knew about his personal role in possible negotiations and as President of Ukraine that it was “not easy” with him in negotiations. Therefore it is “understandable that Russia wants to get rid of me”.
However, if Ukraine is admitted to the EU and NATO, Russian troops are deleted and his country has security guarantees, it will no longer be needed. Then he achieved everything. “But as long as we don't have that, I will defend my country.”
You can see the entire conversation with Wolodymyr Selenskyj in the Maischberger program – on Tuesday at 11:05 p.m. in the first And already in the ARD media library.
