“Ukraine is not afraid of Russia” said Dmytro Kuleba.
Entering the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the 70th day of Russian aggression, the scene is far away from the desolate building in an attacked capital since February.
It is a fortified labor office, behind sandbags and armed guards where Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba receives phone calls from diplomats around the world.
Kuleba admits that “Mariupol is the most painful topic to discuss” but he insists the attempt to evacuate the city is now something on which the entire UN reputation rests.
“This evacuation is being done under the auspices of the United Nations… If they fail, it will be a failure of the United Nations.” He is pleased with the success of the Ukrainian military in the face of what he sees as NATO’s failure to combat threats from Russia.
“Ukraine is not afraid of Russia. And they have. Everyone wanted to hit Russia. All. But no one dared. “We were left with no solution,” he said.
However, Mr. Kuleba is clear that the difference between victory and defeat in this war will be the supply of specific missiles to regain territory and stop Russian advances.
He is convinced: “The most urgent need is the MLRS… the war will continue longer than it should if we do not get all these weapons on time.”