The Russian invasion made it clear that “we have to defend democracy and the European way of life on the battlefield,” K said. In this exclusive interview, Ms. Stefanyshina talks about the strength of the Ukrainian people, the importance of Biden’s visit, and the prospects for Ukraine’s accession to the EU. and more.

– The life of all Ukrainians will never be the same again. However, as a government, we remain fully functional and resilient in wartime at all levels and in all areas. It was a very important message that we wanted to convey to the Ukrainian people: despite the attacks and shelling, we will continue to provide the necessary services. The President of Ukraine has become a real symbol of this resilience and strength of the Ukrainian people. This united us and gave us the determination to continue the fight throughout the past year. But I also believe that this war and Ukraine’s resolve has changed the world in a broader sense. It is now clear that we must defend democracy and the European way of life on the battlefield. The entire democratic world is united, as it was not for a long time.

– My important decision was made on February 23 last year, when it was already clear that the invasion would begin. I decided to separate my children so that they would not be threatened by war. It was a very difficult decision. But after receiving it, I was exclusively a deputy prime minister in the service of my country. A year later, I remain full of energy, there is no fatigue, either personal or professional. This is my transformation: I feel nothing but black and white and a desire to stay on the right side of history.

– The speeches of the Russian president are of no interest to anyone in Ukraine. They target an internal audience, perpetuating the lies and propaganda of the Russian leadership. The message of Biden’s visit is that Ukraine is winning the war, restoring its territorial integrity and sovereignty, as well as democratic balance and security in Europe.

– Our military leadership and intelligence services are in constant contact with the relevant headquarters of the allied countries. Based on these contacts, President Zelenskiy is talking to his counterparts to push for an acceleration and build-up of military aid. And he was listened to: Germany pledged to supply tanks and accelerate their deployment, and after his visit to Brussels and the recent meeting of the Ramstein team, we received reports of new assistance from Sweden and Belgium. But we need more — long-range missiles and fighter jets — to reduce our military casualties, protect civilians and infrastructure, and strengthen our forces on the battlefield.

This is my transformation: I feel nothing but black and white and a desire to stay on the right side of history.

– It is positive that a dialogue with China has begun, but it is too early to assess its role. We, having the Western alliance on our side, have always sought contact with the countries of Asia and Africa in order to convince them not to support Russia. Thus, this line of communication is vital and could be a turning point in building a broader coalition of states seeking to end the war. I cannot comment on the question of possible military assistance from China to Russia at this stage.

“We did not expect all of our recommendations to be accepted in this package. There will be more. It is very important that measures against Iran be included. In addition, we noted that restrictive measures are being introduced against middle managers of Rosatom, although we expect that they will be extended to top managers in the future. It is important that sanctions continue against those in the Kremlin’s inner circle, as well as those who finance or participate in the conduct of the war. As for the circumvention of sanctions, with the recent EU summit. – Ukraine, we agreed that there should be closer coordination between the European Commission and the mechanism it created for this purpose with our own team led by Germak and McFall (s.s.: V. Zelensky’s chief of staff and former US ambassador to Moscow).

– The cost for Russia is increasing. It has lost the European market for energy exports. Redirecting them – especially gas – to other geographic areas is difficult and expensive. In addition, Russian politicians with large assets abroad are exposed, creating conditions for the transformation of society.

– At present, we have completed the necessary steps in seven relevant areas (the fight against corruption, the rule of law, the media and everything related to human rights). We are now waiting for the European Commission’s assessment and further recommendations. In the spring we will have a preliminary report of the Commission, and on the basis of it, everything that we have to do on our part will be done before the end of the year. We hope that this will create the necessary political momentum to start accession negotiations.

– Ukraine until 2014 never had problems with Russia. We will not have further grievances after the end of the war and the restoration of the territorial integrity of Ukraine. The question is what will Russia be like after the war. On our part, the necessary conditions for any normalization are the victory of Ukraine, the responsibility of the political and military leadership of the Russian Federation for the atrocities and war crimes committed, the payment of war reparations. Otherwise, no matter what happens to Russia, Ukraine will continue to build up its defenses so that no one has an appetite for further attacks.