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What Ukraine's Zelensky said in year-end address as Russia war continues
Russia-Ukraine War: Ukraine's military leadership had proposed mobilising “450,000 to 500,000 people”, he said.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said that no one knows when the war with Russia will end but Ukraine could win more quickly if it remains resilient.
"I think that no one knows the answer. Even respected people, our commanders and our Western partners, who say that this is a war for many years, they do not know," he said, adding, "If we don't loose our resilience, we will end the war sooner".
Zelensky on mobilisation amid Russia war
The leader also said that he had received a request from his army to mobilise hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians amid Russia war. Ukraine's military leadership had proposed mobilising "450,000 to 500,000 people" but that he “needed more arguments to support this idea”, he said as per news agency AFP.
Zelensky on Black Sea
The Ukrainian leader also said that the country's military had scored "a big victory" on the Black Sea after Kyiv launched successful strikes on Russian warships and secured maritime trading routes.
Read more: Vladimir Putin says Russia ready to talk on Ukraine: ‘Won’t give up what's ours'
"Everyone can appreciate that the Russian fleet was deprived of their almost total dominance in the Ukrainian Black Sea," Zelensky said.
Moscow had tried to impose controls over “what we should do, what we should export, and so on”, he shared.
Zelensky on Patriot air systems
Asserting that he was certain that crucial US military and financial aid would continue, Zelensky said that Ukraine will receive more Patriot air defence systems to bolster its forces. "Several new Patriot systems will be in Ukraine to protect our country in the winter. I promised I wouldn't disclose the number," Zelensky said. The promised weapons were a "very important result" of meetings with allies during recent trips abroad, he said.
“I’m certain the US won’t betray us — and what has been agreed upon will be fulfilled,” he said amid a political standoff in Washington over Ukraine air.
