This month, 1,000 people chose to support the Kyiv Independent. Can we count on you, too?
Become a member
Skip to content
Edit post

West must 'let go' of 'irrational fears' of escalation with Russia, FM Kuleba says

by Abbey Fenbert July 21, 2024 8:22 PM 3 min read
Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba speaks with the Kyiv Independent in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Dec. 19, 2023. (Olena Zashko / The Kyiv Independent)
This audio is created with AI assistance

Western allies need to "let go" of their fears of escalating conflict with Russia and give Ukraine the assistance it needs to end the full-scale war, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said in a Q & A on Reddit on July 19.

Key allies, such as the United States and Germany, have repeatedly cited the threat of escalation as a reason to withhold long-range weapons or authorization to use foreign weapons to strike military targets within Russia.

"Over the last two and a half years, nothing has harmed Ukraine's war effort more than the concept of 'controlled escalation,'" Kuleba said in a Reddit "Ask Me Anything" session.

Kuleba described the fear of escalation as "irrational" and said that evidence indicates that greater military support for Ukraine has not led to escalations with Russia.

"Everyone needs to finally let go of this fear. Putin does not require any reasons to escalate.  ... Instead, we must take the initiative and make Putin fear our next move, not the other way around."

Kuleba was straightforward about the type of assistance that would accelerate Ukraine's path to victory over Russia.

"A sufficient number of Patriot batteries, a sufficient number of F-16 jets, a sufficient amount of artillery ammunition, and sufficient freedom to target legitimate military targets in Russia," he said when asked what Kyiv needs to win the war.

Kuleba addressed a number of topics in the Q & A, including military aid, the 2024 U.S. presidential election, Polish-Ukrainian relations, Ukraine's accession to NATO and the European Union, and historical Russian imperialism.

Regarding the future of U.S. aid to Ukraine, Kuleba said Kyiv offers "the best deal U.S. can get in the world" in terms of its military investment.

Any White House administration should bear in mind that Ukraine is transparent about its use of weapon and is rapidly accelerating domestic defense production to reduce dependency on foreign aid, he said.

These remarks were in part a response to questions about how a second term for former U.S. President Donald Trump would affect Washington's support for Kyiv.

"We will work with any administration that emerges from the American people's vote in November," Kuleba said.

Zelensky, Trump hold call, discuss future of US support
President Volodymyr Zelensky and Donald Trump, former U.S. president and Republican presidential nominee, held a phone call on July 19, five years after a fateful 2019 phone call between the two led to Trump’s first impeachment.

Kuleba also offered a historical perspective on Russia's full-scale invasion and the role of U.S. intervention. He referred to the Budapest Memorandum, the 1994 agreement in which Ukraine voluntarily gave up its nuclear arsenal in exchange for security guarentees, as "a strategic mistake."

"Looking back, it is clear that Russia, rather than Ukraine, should have been disarmed after the Cold War ended," he said.

"I could argue the U.S. owes us support today for stripping us of our nuclear defense shield years ago, but I guess that doesn't sell."

Kuleba said that a historical understanding of Russia's imperialist ambitions in Ukraine is critical.

"This war did not begin in 2022, not even in 2014. Its roots are much deeper, and if you dig deeper, you will find that it stems from Russia's imperial attitude toward other nations, particularly those in its neighborhood," he said.

"Many policy mistakes could have been avoided if our partners had not looked at Ukraine through the lens of Russia."

F-16s are on their way to Ukraine – here’s how they can help fight Russia
After a long wait, F-16 fighter jets are finally on their way to Ukraine. “Those jets will be flying in the skies of Ukraine this summer to make sure that Ukraine can continue to effectively defend itself against Russian aggression,” U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced on July

Let’s see how far we can go?
We’ve been amazed by your support. We’ve reached our initial goal of finding 1,000 new paying members. We still have till the end of our birthday campaign — with more support, we can do even more good journalism. Over 13,000 people are standing behind us. Can we count on you, too?
Show us support this birthday month
Become a member
visa masterCard americanExpress

News Feed

MORE NEWS

Editors' Picks

Enter your email to subscribe
Please, enter correct email address
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required

Subscribe

* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Explaining Ukraine with Kate Tsurkan
* indicates required
Successfuly subscribed
Thank you for signing up for this newsletter. We’ve sent you a confirmation email.