Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the situation on the front line is now the best in the past 10 months. He also commented on possible disruptions in weapons supplies and spoke about Ukraine’s role in unblocking the Strait of Hormuz.
Situation on the front
On April 2, during a conversation with journalists, Zelenskyy said the situation on the front is the best it has been in the last 10 months. Ukrinform reported this. The president referred to data from British intelligence.
“I received MI6’s view of the situation on the front, namely that this is the best situation for Ukraine in the last 10 months. This is their conclusion, and all partners see it,” Zelenskyy said.
He added that the situation remains difficult. However, Ukraine is in a “slight plus” as the Armed Forces have liberated about 20 square kilometers. Recently, Russia has intensified its assaults, taking advantage of foggy conditions. Ukrainian forces are recording a buildup of Russian troops in the Pokrovsk and Huliaipole directions.
“The offensive they wanted in March was thwarted by our Armed Forces. Therefore, now the russians will simply intensify their assault operations. So far, we do not see a global threat,” Zelenskyy said.
Weapons supplies
Zelenskyy said the US has not informed Ukraine about any plans to stop weapons deliveries. However, he admitted this could happen later.
“So far, we have no such signal — that supplies through PURL may stop,” he said. He stressed that this issue should be considered strategically.
The president noted that he warned the military about such risks three years ago. He said Ukraine needed to prepare for a possible halt in US assistance.
“We must diversify supplies and reduce the use of certain scarce weapons and ammunition. I said we should prepare for a moment when even for money Ukraine might not receive weapons,” Zelenskyy said, referring to 2023.
He added that Ukraine has since focused on drone production instead of artillery shells. According to him, shells that used to cost 2,000–3,000 dollars have risen to about 7,000 due to the war. Drone production, he said, has delivered results.
Zelenskyy also warned that Ukraine may lose access to Patriot missiles. The war in the Middle East could be one of the reasons, but other issues may follow.
“We must build our own independent defense industry in all areas. This is what we are doing. We have a shortage of anti-ballistic missiles, so we must develop our own or produce them jointly with partners,” he said.
Strait of Hormuz
Zelenskyy said Ukraine could share its experience to help unblock the Strait of Hormuz, even though allies have not involved Kyiv in the process. He referred to Russia’s blockade of the Black Sea, comparing it to Iran potentially blocking maritime routes. Zelenskyy mentioned the Black Sea Grain Initiative, signed in Istanbul on July 22, 2022.
“We managed to agree and unblock it. It worked for a year, and then it stopped. So the issue is not only unblocking, but also maintaining it, setting rules, and ensuring protection,” he said.
Earlier, The Ukrainian Review reported that Trump criticized large-scale military aid to Kyiv. He said the United States should not have intervened in the war in Ukraine.
