The following is a transcript of an interview with Ukrainian Ambassador Oksana Markarova that aired on “Face the Nation” on June 4, 2023.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Ambassador Oksana Markarova joins us for an replace. Good morning to you. It’s just right to have you ever again with us.
UKRAINIAN AMBASSADOR TO THE U.S. OKSANA MARKAROVA: Good morning. Always just right to be again.
MARGARET BRENNAN: I wish to ask you about what is taking place now as a result of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin stated, U.S. skilled Ukrainian brigades have arrived in Ukraine and they have been rehearsing, coaching and keeping up for weeks. He discussed the climate has progressed. He’s describing the prerequisites for that counter offensive to probably start very quickly. What are you anticipating in the coming days and weeks?
AMB. MARKAROVA: Well, you already know, for us, counteroffensive by no means stopped, to be fair. Since February 24, that is all we have been focusing on, easy methods to unlock our land. But after all, with further business brigades, with further apparatus, with each cent that we are operating on now, we hope that our commanders, once they’re going to see the openings, will get started this- whether or not it will be one or a number of counteroffensives, however the sooner we will be able to unlock all their territory and all our folks, after all, the higher. So I can word, after all, as you heard our President and our commanders, we can no longer announce the rest, we can not- we can see it when the effects are there. But we expect to disencumber extra quickly.
MARGARET BRENNAN: And your president stated ‘we’re in a position.’ Russia, despite the fact that, right through the process the week has been launching missile assaults, together with on the capital of Kyiv. They seem to be trying out your air defenses. And I do know President Zelenskyy has stated Ukraine wishes extra Patriot missiles. Are you getting assist getting that roughly air protection at this time? Is the U.S. doing sufficient?
AMB. MARKAROVA: We’re very thankful for the whole thing we’re receiving. So, it is Patriots, it is NASAMS, it is all different functions, however we obviously want extra. So what Russians had been doing, once more for 466 days now, but additionally this week, you already know, now we have observed how day by day, a number of instances an afternoon, there have been fatal assaults through rockets, but additionally Shahed drones all- all the time. So it is the terror. It’s the destruction that it brings. But additionally it is the, you already know, increasing our functions that we’ve got now we indubitably want extra
MARGARET BRENNAN: The Biden Administration launched some other 300 million in army assist. Some of that incorporated drones. Are those surveillance drones, are those assault drones that the U.S. is giving?
AMB. MARKAROVA: It’s a spread of the drones so- and we’d like they all. We want the surveillance, we’d like the assault drones, we’d like the kamikaze drones. So there can be other functions in the programs.
MARGARET BRENNAN: There is an upcoming NATO assembly in July that the president- President Biden is predicted to wait and Ukraine’s, access, conceivable access, into the army alliances is a subject there. Do you already know what the U.S. goes to vow?
AMB. MARKAROVA: Well, all of us stay up for the summit. Ukraine has NATO aspirations, transatlantic aspirations–
MARGARET BRENNAN: For a while now.
AMB. MARKAROVA: – in our hearts, in our Constitution, and the majority of folks strengthen it. Since 2008, when the first declaration used to be made that we can be individuals of NATO, we imagine it is time to get started discussing some explicit steps in that regard. Now, once more, as President Zelenskyy stated, we’re realists. We perceive the barriers that the ongoing struggle places to it, however I feel at this second, after this terrible violation of global legislation, after Russia attacked us utterly no longer provoked once we weren’t a part of NATO, after historical selections on Finland and Sweden, it is time for everybody to understand that it is about just right as opposed to evil. And we wish to be individuals of NATO up to NATO wishes Ukraine additionally so as as a result of now we have so much so as to add to NATO. So sure, we stay up for this discussion board to talk about this.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Your president stated he is aware of this would not occur till after the struggle is concluded, in different phrases, that the U.S. would not be drawn in immediately to this warfare now, as a NATO member, however promise a long term access. What are the safety promises that you’re in search of?
AMB. MARKAROVA: Well, you already know, the President Zelenskyy put out this peace formulation, which obviously outlines how the struggle must finish and easy methods to construct, repair the safety. So there may be numerous parts: it is army safety, justice, rebuilding- rebuilding Ukraine, making sure that we will be able to all in combination deter Russia from making it once more. And it is all been mentioned with- with companions personally, but additionally used to be the crew. It used to be certainly one of the pieces mentioned at the G7 summit, at others. So it is a paintings in growth, however I feel, you already know, the actual safety ensure and no longer for Ukraine, however for transatlantic group and for our a part of the international however globally for everybody who believes in UN stature, is for us in the long term to transform the member of the alliance. That is a calm defensive alliance of the folks with like-minded values.
MARGARET BRENNAN: 45 billion in U.S. strengthen to Ukraine has been pledged to this point. But that investment leads to September, and they will need to be a request for extra. Are you curious about all the political pressures that can make that tougher, in particular going right into a presidential election 12 months?
AMB. MARKAROVA: Well, any democracy, and Ukraine and the U.S. are each democracies, have just right democratic elections and processes. And sure, it is an extra issue, however I imagine American folks strengthen us and we are very thankful for American folks for the strengthen now we have won. We will all the time commit it to memory. And I do know that the majority of politicians on each side of the aisle you already know, similarly, now we have this robust bipartisan strengthen. And I truly hope that Ukraine will proceed uniting folks in Ukraine, even via this electoral procedure,
MARGARET BRENNAN: Ambassador, we can be looking at carefully in the coming days and weeks and considering of Ukraine. Thank you for becoming a member of us.
AMB. MARKAROVA: Thank you.