Ukraine and the West have different understandings of victory in the war. For Kyiv, a very important aspect of victory is the impossibility of repeating aggression. This was stated in an interview by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy with Trudy Rubin, a columnist for The Philadelphia Inquirer, according to a correspondent of UNN.
When asked if he was sure that Joe Biden wants Ukraine to win, Zelensky answered:
"Yes. I think it's important for him. I think it's important for them, it's important for America, it's important for Europe, for many countries that are investing in defense. It is important for them that Ukraine wins. We just may have a different attitude towards the word "victory". Why? Because I hear this rhetoric. Putting the aggressor in his place is the right thing to do and it is a victory for the West and for collective defense to prevent Putin from occupying our country completely, which I think they did at the beginning of the war and started helping us - Biden and other leaders. I think this is a victory for them. And then comes what we really want, because for us the final victory is the moment of satisfaction."
Zelenskiy says he hears messages that everyone is afraid that Russia will collapse.
"If the main victory for the West is to prevent the occupation of Ukraine.
Putting Putin in his place, and the second part is that everyone is afraid that Russia will fall apart, and I hear these messages. Everyone is afraid of what will happen to Russia without Putin, and everyone is afraid of whether it can remain as it is and not become even worse. I do not support such messages. That's why I said that we have a different understanding of victory. Ukraine needs to remain a united nation even after the war, after the victory, so we want a real victory," Zelensky said.
He also explained how he defines a real victory for Ukraine.
The first part is to prevent the complete destruction of Ukraine and everything Ukrainian. I believe that until the war is over, we cannot say that we have fully defended our independence. Because a very important aspect of victory is security for the present and for future generations, and this means the impossibility of repeating aggression. And this element, when we talk about the victory, I, as the president, would not want to run around or skip this element. I believe that it is one of the most important elements - the impossibility of aggression returning. I mean, where will we be? We have to be in the EU - this is economic security, we have to be in NATO, and if we don't have this, I think it is a big risk for us. This enemy will come back. Putin, not Putin, another Kremlin in 20 years, 40 years, 50 years, I don't know. We need a collective defense of Ukraine
Addendum
National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said that the United States will proudly walk with Ukraine on this path until it wins.