I wish you good health, fellow Ukrainians.
The key updates as of now. I have received important reports from our intelligence services – the Defense Intelligence and the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine – primarily on what Russia is planning as it expects that global instability will bring it more revenues and more opportunities to wage war. They are not planning peace, unfortunately. We are approaching this with sober clarity and will defend ourselves – we will defend Ukraine, we will continue to pressure Russia, and we will do everything to ensure real diplomacy. We are planning peace – and we are working toward this in Ukraine and with our partners.
We understand how the war in Iran is affecting the mindset of the American team. The Americans are focused on something else – not this war here in Europe. Europe has less leverage over Russia. But we have our own tasks. The Ukrainian team is in constant contact with the American partners – to ensure they understand both the risks and the prospects – as well as with Europe.
We are also strengthening our defense capabilities. We have intelligence on Russia’s main directions for spring and summer, as well as their additional directions for the autumn. We will provide our partners with available information on operations that the Russians are potentially planning in NATO countries. Ukraine and its partners can defend themselves.
We are also preparing our energy system for the next heating season. Repair and restoration work is already underway in all regions. We are also working on alternative generation and expanding energy ties with our partners. In every Ukrainian city – in Kyiv, where it was very difficult this winter, and in our other cities, in every community – there must be reserves: everything needed so that people have electricity and heating under any circumstances. Our resilience in such conditions, our strength on the front line, and our responses to Russian strikes are also pushing the aggressor toward diplomacy. For this Friday, I have scheduled a broad meeting with government officials, the military, representatives of local authorities and communities, as well as representatives of Ukrainian energy companies – so that decisions are made wherever work is behind schedule, wherever more funding is needed, and wherever additional generation projects must be launched. If the National Security and Defense Council is needed, we will hold an NSDC meeting. If personnel conclusions are required, we will draw personnel conclusions. Responsibility for preparing for winter is personal.
Decisions have also been made to secure sufficient financial resources for our state and our defense, including through Ukraine’s immense security expertise and strong capacity to produce weapons. In some production areas, we currently have up to 50% surplus capacity. The export of Ukrainian weapons will become a reality. The Ukrainian military will always have the right to priority and sufficient supply – they will take what is needed, and the volume beyond that will go to export. The National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, based on intergovernmental agreements with partners, will define the framework for cooperation – just to ensure that Ukrainian technologies and Ukrainian weapons do not end up in Russian hands. Government officials, together with the NSDC and our intelligence services, are ready to simplify bureaucratic procedures and working conditions in Ukraine – while maintaining the necessary export controls. We also need automatic export authorizations with a clear and predictable timeframe for approval, so that there is no ground for corruption.
Our special format of cooperation with partners supporting Ukraine – the Drone Deals – is already underway with countries across three regions: the Middle East, the Gulf, Europe, and the Caucasus. A proposal is also on the table for our American partners. This covers drones, defense systems, and other types of weapons that are essential for building real protection in the air, on land, and at sea. Once again, the terms must be beneficial for Ukraine, there must be clear oversight, and the proceeds from exports must strengthen Ukraine’s defense. That is the way it will be.
We also spoke today with Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko about the work of state-owned companies. The changes will follow. Some state-owned companies still do not serve the interests of the state or its budget. The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and the companies themselves must fix this.
Glory to Ukraine!