A Zelensky adviser warns that Ukraine still does not have enough weapons to start the counteroffensive

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May 16. (EUROPE PRESS) –

The deputy head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Ihor Zhovka, warned on Tuesday that the Ukrainian Armed Forces still do not have enough weapons to start the counteroffensive against Russia.

According to Zhovka, Ukraine needs a greater number of armored vehicles and tanks to “liberate” the territories occupied by Russian troops in the framework of the war, which began at the end of February by order of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

In fact, Zhovka has acknowledged during an interview for the British chain Sky News that the main objective of the Ukrainian president in his international trips is precisely to request “additional military packages” from the allied countries.

“Unfortunately, the level of equipment that we have is still not enough to start the counteroffensive,” stressed the senior Ukrainian official, who stressed that Kiev still lacks “artillery and ammunition systems.”

“We want this offensive to be as successful as possible,” said Zhovka, who also qualified that “success would be to liberate all the captured areas of Ukraine.”

On the other hand, questioned by the agreement between Moscow and Kiev to receive a diplomatic mission of African leaders with the aim of reaching a peaceful solution to the conflict, Zhovka stressed that the only way to end the conflict “is, and will be, the Ukrainian plan”.

However, the presidential adviser has recognized Ukraine’s predisposition to “listen to the proposals of some countries”, and recalled that kyiv has taken into account the initiatives defended by China and Brazil, although it does not share them.

The Chinese authorities presented weeks ago a peace plan in Ukraine that provided for the end of hostilities in the current positions, thus allowing the presence of Russian troops in Ukrainian territories.

Along the same lines, the president of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, pointed out that the Ukrainian authorities should assume certain territorial concessions to Russia, especially Crimea, if they want to end the war.

“But the only realistic plan that Ukraine would adopt and implement, together with our partners around the world, is President Zelenski’s plan,” Zhovka concluded, recalling the Ukrainian initiative that demands, among other things, the total withdrawal of Russia.