Podoliak: about money for army and whether Zelenskyy should run for president again
Advisor to the Office of the President Mykhailo Podoliak stated that maintaining a strong Ukrainian army of about 800,000 troops should be the shared responsibility of all of Europe.
According to Censor.NET, this was stated in his interview for Novosti.LIVE.
Podolyak emphasized that Ukraine had planned to have significantly smaller armed forces before the full-scale war, but the security situation in Europe has changed dramatically.
European funding and the format of the deterrence army
The OP adviser emphasized that the main issue is not only the number of military personnel, but also the sources of funding. According to him, the Armed Forces of Ukraine already perform the function of a deterrent army for the entire European continent.
"The issue is not only the figure of 800,000, but who is financing it. This is a huge amount of money," Podoliak noted.
He added that investments in the Ukrainian army should be joint, and after consultation with partners, the formula for recruitment, contracts, and long-term development of the army will become clear.
Professional Armed Forces and integration into Europe's security architecture
Podolyak also stated that the army of 800,000 people should be completely professional. This refers to contract service with decent financial support. According to him, special attention should be paid to the development of drone and missile production, in particular short- and medium-range missiles.
In addition, the OP adviser believes that the Armed Forces of Ukraine should be integrated into the "pan-European armed forces," which will be responsible for protecting the eastern border and deterring the Russian Federation.
Podolyak on Zelenskyy's possible bid for a second term
Separately, Mykhailo Podoliak commented on the future president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy. According to him, the current head of state has effective communication with international partners and has laid the foundation for bilateral security guarantees, which must be brought to completion.
"My position has remained unchanged throughout the war: he should run for a second term," the OP adviser emphasized.
Podolyak explained that Zelenskyy is deeply involved in all security processes and is capable of managing the transition period from war, taking into account complex political and military nuances. He also stressed the importance of implementing security agreements with more than 30 partner countries.
At the same time, the OP adviser noted that the final decision on participation in the elections remains solely with Zelenskyy himself, and it is he who must publicly announce it.
- As previously reported, the first meeting of the working group on drafting laws on holding elections during wartime will take place on December 26.
