You were in Ukraine when the British prime minister and U.S. president met in Washington. Ukraine was not given permission to fire deep into Russia at that meeting. What was the reaction in Ukraine?

I met with President Zelenskyy after U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and U.K. Foreign Secretary Davis Lammy visited Kiev. We also discussed this matter. Looking President Zelenskyy in the eye, I think he was not very disappointed and is rather looking to the UN General Assembly next week where he will try to speak directly to the U.S. president, also about his plan to end the war.

We should all be used to Russia talking about an escalation whenever the West does something. We've seen it before. Talking about escalation, it has been Russia's purview so far.

Does it seem the West has been deterred by Russia once again?

I would not dare say something like that, as the process is still underway and I remain moderately optimistic. Past experience shows that while there are discussions and hesitation at first, steps will eventually be taken. If you recall, we started with helmets and mattresses years ago, while today we are supplying Ukraine with weapons they can use to defend their country.

Did President Zelenskyy share his victory plan with you?

Yes, we broached the subject, while it is clear he did not share details. More so as he first has to show it to President Joe Biden. But he said he will also present the plan to former U.S. President Donald Trump and his opposing candidate Kamala Harris. Only then will the plan be presented to a wider audience. He also said the plan is quite laconic and not made up of too many steps. He seemed hopeful.

Does that mean we might hear something after the UN General Assembly?

We will hear something, as that is the plan Zelenskyy is taking to New York.

Thinking of weapons aid, decisions have taken a long time. How could we give Ukraine weapons when they need them, and no longer after the fact?

Unfortunately, that is how it has been. And listening to outgoing NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, Ukraine should have been given weapons before the full-scale conflict started, as that might have helped avoid it altogether. We should hearken to this in the sense that if we can properly arm ourselves today, it may happen that no one wants to attack us.

But that is the pace of steps today, and every country has its own history. It is problematic for Ukraine, as they need weapons out there today, and in greater quantities as opposed to smaller.

Talking about a winning plan, it has been extremely difficult for the West, and especially USA, to define a victory. How can Ukraine win if our allies cannot outline what it would mean to win?

If we cannot define a victory, let us talk about Russia's defeat. I've also tried to talk about Russia's defeat. We don't know what it will mean in the end. We need to give Ukraine enough support for there to be reason to get behind the negotiating table and discuss peace. In the current conditions of attrition warfare and Russian attempts to dictate terms, there's no point sitting down to talk at all. We should support Ukraine as you said – give them what they need today.

To what extent does it seem that the West is afraid of nuclear war, and how big is the likelihood of a nuclear conflict?

Nuclear war is a good way to scare people, and Russia has even drawn up a new nuclear strategy with this aim. But Russia is not the only nuclear power. There are European and NATO members with nuclear weapons. So, I believe that nuclear saber-rattling will remain just that. I do not believe it will manifest.

Still, the West has allowed itself to be deterred. Do you agree?

The idea of nuclear war always gives leaders pause. But again, I do not see it as a realistic option, also for Russia.

There was another attempt on former President Donald Trump's life, whereas the suspect was an ardent Ukraine supporter. To what extent might this lead to a part of Trump supporters becoming even more opposed to supporting the war in Ukraine?

There will be attempts to capitalize on the situation. Russia will try to do the same, especially if we know the suspect is a Ukraine supporter. But we should wait for the results of the investigation first. We can be sure there will be attempts to take advantage, also by Russia.

The West seems to be suffering from war weariness. How could we keep it from spreading?

There is weariness. Those who are on the front lines are weary, as are those further back and those for whom it is nowhere in sight. The only way we can help is by giving Ukraine even more support to facilitate success, which in turn is encouraging. War weariness is one thing, while another is the fact that people tend to get used to war. People in Ukraine are used to the war, we are used to there being war in Ukraine, while new conflicts keep cropping up elsewhere.

But it is our task to keep the focus on the Ukraine war and keep up support, which is when we can defeat war weariness. Weariness doesn't hit everyone at the same time either. It often comes at different times, and we need to support those who are weary.

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