00:00I did speak to the European Commissioner for Defence exclusively on Wednesday and I started
00:06by asking him whether these strikes by Russia are short-wind victories or whether they could lead
00:12to a full-scale end to the bloodshed. It's remarkable what Ukraine managed to achieve
00:18during recent half a year with really with deep strikes against oil refineries close to Moscow,
00:27close to St. Petersburg, even far away, close to Omsk, somewhere in Siberia. Also, the recent
00:34weak attacks against the Russian Shadow Fleet in Azov Sea and in Black Sea, those are really
00:43amazing achievements which are making big impact on, in general, on perception both globally
00:50but also in Russia itself, because definitely when in Moscow or in some other cities people
00:58need to stand near gasoline station for hours and hours, that's an impact. Definitely we can
01:06expect that such kind of development should be clear argument for Putin and his surrounding,
01:16that he is not able to achieve any significant development in his war aims. And, you know,
01:25that is the moment when really negotiations on just peace should start. But for that really,
01:34we need to keep our support and even increase our support, because just peace in such a war can come
01:40only through the formula peace through strength and strength should be on Ukrainian side.
01:45And how does the European Union provide that strength to Ukraine?
01:49We started new financial support mechanism, so-called Ukraine support loan, 60 billion to support
01:56Ukrainian defense during the next, this year and the next year. From one side, we are supporting Ukraine,
02:03from another side, Ukraine is starting to support us, because their defense industry achievements are remarkable.
02:10And I absolutely agree with United States State Secretary Marco Rubio, who was saying that Ukrainian army is the best
02:20in Europe. And it's the best in Europe, not only that they have brave soldiers and smart generals, but also
02:26that they have very innovative, very dynamic defense industry.
02:30Should Ukraine be spending more to buy European?
02:33European money has very clear principles. First of all, we're looking if Ukrainian defense industry is able to produce what
02:41they need to have on the front line. If not, then we're looking to European industry and European industry really
02:49is getting up and producing more and more.
02:51But is European industry, is it there yet to provide Ukraine with what it needs to repel Russia now?
02:57If both Ukrainian industry is not producing and European industry is not producing, then no. And if Ukrainians are coming
03:06with clear evidence that why they need some kind of products which are not produced by Ukraine or by European
03:13Union.
03:14U.S. President Donald Trump at the NATO summit in Ankara reiterated his desire to acquire the Arctic island of
03:21Greenland. What can the EU do to come to that nation's aid if he made good on this defensive threat?
03:27We have heard the same language several months ago back in early spring or late winter. And our answer was
03:39very clear. Denmark was promised all the support from our side. We do not agree with some kind of language.
03:46The countries that have successfully acquired a portion of that safe loan, the 150 billion euros. What are the countries
03:54particularly along Europe's eastern flank and those Baltic regions using the money for?
04:00Those countries who are investing a lot, frontier countries, they also took the biggest responsibility to spend safe loans, which
04:07are European Union support mechanism for other countries to develop their capabilities.
04:13We see that some countries are a little bit diminishing their initial wishes, what they wished. Now we have perhaps
04:2211 or 12 signatures, different countries, which we agreed with them.
04:28We shall see which will be not taken by member states and we shall look into possibilities, how and for
04:35what purposes we can use those money.
04:36President Zelenskyy was very clearly asking exactly, you know, to find a way how to finance, for example, this anti
04:42-ballistic production of an anti-ballistic system. So we shall look how we can do.
04:48Definitely, besides, you know, those, how to say, actions which we are doing now, we need to see also challenges
04:56which are coming and very soon.
04:59Especially, we need to evaluate how our transatlantic partners are starting to diminish their presence.
05:07We'll see you next time.
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