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The next is the transcript of the interview with Olga Stefanishyna, Ukraine’s ambassador to the U.S., that aired on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” on March 8, 2026.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We flip now to the conflict in Ukraine, and Ukraine’s ambassador to america, Olga Stefanishyna. Welcome again to Face the Nation.
UKRAINIAN AMBASSADOR OLGA STEFANISHYNA: Effectively, Margaret, thanks for having me.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So, one of many greatest threats to Ukraine has been Russia’s ballistic missiles that it has been firing into your nation for a while. The answer has been the Patriot system, the American interceptors. They’re in brief provide, as you properly know, and now America’s allies within the Gulf inform us that also they are in short-supply there and so they want them. Your president stated he’s involved America goes to cut back its air protection help for Ukraine. How a lot of an issue is that this on your nation?
AMB. STEFANISHYNA: Effectively, thanks, Margaret, for asking this query. In fact, we now have been speaking about that publicly as properly and have been having personal discussions. However an important factor that we see that, you realize, the occasions occurring proper now with the conflict in Iran have been so resolute that most likely these are the most-important developments on a worldwide area over a decade. So, no shortages of means ought to be a problem. And we’re positive that the American protection trade is able to ensuring that every one the fronts are coated. Ukraine has the sources and talent to acquire extra, and we’re wanting ahead for exploring the choices, how you can do it. But in addition, you realize, we ended up with 4 300 Shahed drones over the homes of Ukraine, which was solely potential as a result of Iran has been a strategic enabler of the Russian aggression three years in the past, and we see what the involvement of low cost applied sciences is, and we now have been able to contribute.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Effectively, I requested that earlier in this system of the Vitality Secretary, Chris Wright, as a result of Russia and Iran have been allied right here. They’ve been buying and selling sources and know-how. They’re allied in some ways. He appeared to say they had been probably not an element. You say they’re instantly one.
AMB. STEFANISHYNA: Effectively, I imply, they’re completely an element, as a result of principally the Shahed drone know-how was developed to assault individuals, to demoralize inhabitants, to trigger the losses amongst civilians. So, it killed, like, a whole bunch of Ukrainian children, so many households, and this was a strategic enabler of conflict. And Russia has been- Russia weren’t investing in bilateral relations or improvement or investments. They had been investing in regimes like Iran, Venezuela, and Syria, simply because they thought it is not potential to have the resolute motion as it’s now happening with Iran and because it was earlier than in Venezuela. And it was not potential a few years in the past with Syria. So, they’re disadvantaged of technique of their affect, they’re weaker. But in addition we must always not neglect that Ukraine has proven that Russia is not any totally different from all of those international locations. It is simply greater, and we see that, you realize, the expertise which is being gained proper now, and the brand new actuality which is been fashioned by President Trump additionally paves the best way, the brand new actuality for the Russians, and I am positive they’re actually, actually afraid of it.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Effectively, your president stated he was requested by america to supply anti-drone know-how that Ukraine has to America. When does that arrive? When will that be operational?
AMB. STEFANISHYNA: So, you realize, we perceive greater than anyone on this world what is required in a second of disaster. What is required if you see when your persons are dying simply throughout so many cities of the Gulf international locations. And what we advised is the speedy motion and speedy response. So, we will safe the skies. We are able to present the air protection as a result of we now have a lot data. And these are solely Ukrainian individuals, Ukrainian armed forces who’ve this information and functionality, so we’re in a position to present it to america and the Gulf international locations and that is what we did. We aren’t going to face apart realizing that persons are dying as a result of we all know how painful it’s and we’ll do the whole lot we will to ensure that this resolute motion is ending up with one thing that is known as optimistic.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So, sending advisors to assist. It seems like special–
AMB. STEFANISHYNA: And in addition capabilities. So, it is the drone capabilities of Ukraine isn’t solely the drone or the individuals, it is the entire spectrum of actions you take, as a result of scenario is altering each week and you might want to have individuals and the mechanism which permit to react instantly and that is what solely Ukraine has on the whole planet.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So just some days in the past, President Trump stated he thinks Vladimir Putin is able to make a deal. And he stated that Volodymyr Zelensky, your president, has to get on the ball, and he has to get a deal carried out. And he referred to him as a P.T. Barnum of Ukraine. It looks as if the connection continues to be actually tense, despite the fact that you are speaking about Ukraine serving to america. What is going on on right here?
AMB. STEFANISHYNA: Effectively, I imply, I feel undoubtedly a few minutes of this dialogue isn’t sufficient for that. However I feel we’re assessing the scenario by actions. And the actions are that there’s a mechanism the place Ukraine nonetheless can get entry to American army gear. President Trump has launched vital sanctions to the Russian Federation over the past months. And in addition we’re in dialogue already trilaterally with america and Russians on ending the conflict. All of it is a crucial improvement and we’re wanting ahead for his or her success. However for us an important factor is that we’re in a position to defend ourselves and safe our cities and we’re doing that to the extent we will with the American help. And we now have by no means been too drained to offer credit score to President Trump for thus many necessary issues he did. Though the rhetorics we hear typically isn’t one thing that actually very clear or very optimistic. However we’re a tricky nation, we’re robust individuals, we now have been via a lot that a few phrases isn’t actually one thing that may distract us, and we all know what we all know, that Ukraine is a rustic on the planet which actually needs the conflict over greater than anyone, and that is the place we stand.
MARGARET BRENNAN: What proof do you have got that Russia helps Iran in its conflict proper now on these American allies?
AMB. STEFANISHYNA: Effectively, some info has been offered. It isn’t one thing that we might wish to share, you realize, in a media or go public with. However I also can guarantee you that it is not solely Ukraine. There are, like, lots of international locations who’ve lots info and a disposal and intel neighborhood could be very properly developed throughout all of the NATO codecs. So no matter info is there, it is already on the disposal of, you realize, all allies and companions, together with america. And. I am positive that is an info which is black and white. It is nothing which could possibly be referred to as grey.
MARGARET BRENNAN: But it surely goes past sharing focusing on info, which CBS has reported?
AMB. STEFANISHYNA: I am unsure that I may actually touch upon that, however I feel we must always look additionally within the context that Russia has been supporting the regimes of the international locations I’ve talked about, like Venezuela, like Syria, like Iran, for years, and this partnership was potential and developed in constructing the productions within the Russian Federation.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Ambassador, thanks on your time in the present day.
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