WEBVTT - Sharri | 3 March 0:00:01.160 --> 0:00:07.600 Why on Sky News This is Sharry. 0:00:06.720 --> 0:00:11.080 Good Evening tonight, Why jd Vance jeopardized Trump's peace plan 0:00:11.280 --> 0:00:15.680 for his own future White House run Plus Zelenski ignoring 0:00:15.760 --> 0:00:19.200 warnings before the meeting not to take the bait. All 0:00:19.239 --> 0:00:21.200 of this in a moment, and I'm going to be 0:00:21.280 --> 0:00:25.600 joined live on set by Ukraine's ambassador to Australia. Also 0:00:25.640 --> 0:00:29.080 on the show, a Green's pro Palestinian candidate has been 0:00:29.120 --> 0:00:34.200 invited into a school where it's claimed she lectured children about. 0:00:33.920 --> 0:00:36.360 The so called genocide in Gaza. 0:00:36.920 --> 0:00:40.559 Well, why are Green's politicians saying these dangerous things to 0:00:40.680 --> 0:00:45.120 school children in the classroom? This outrageous story coming up, 0:00:45.800 --> 0:00:49.040 And former RBA governor Philip Blow says interest rates are 0:00:49.120 --> 0:00:52.239 not the reason for the cost of living crisis. This 0:00:52.440 --> 0:00:58.280 rare intervention just days from the election campaign. But first tonight, 0:00:58.560 --> 0:01:01.440 let's talk about the dramatic scenes in the Oval Office 0:01:01.480 --> 0:01:04.520 on Friday. Now, the media is trying to turn this 0:01:04.600 --> 0:01:09.320 into a question of Donald Trump abandoning his allies, and 0:01:09.480 --> 0:01:12.040 they're asking if Australia needs to be worried. 0:01:12.800 --> 0:01:14.759 But that's not what's unfolding here. 0:01:15.319 --> 0:01:19.440 There is no suggestion at all that Trump is abandoning 0:01:19.800 --> 0:01:24.440 America's leadership role, particularly in our region in the Pacific. 0:01:25.120 --> 0:01:28.480 This is a simplistic take that's not based in reality. 0:01:29.360 --> 0:01:33.480 The reality is Trump was trying to end the Russian 0:01:33.680 --> 0:01:38.800 invasion of Ukraine, and his mission, which is very personal 0:01:38.880 --> 0:01:43.280 to his own legacy as president, was then derailed by 0:01:43.319 --> 0:01:48.440 both jd Vance and Zelenski himself. Jd Vance has a 0:01:48.520 --> 0:01:52.440 dangerous isolationist view of the world and didn't hold back 0:01:52.760 --> 0:01:57.800 from insulting Zelenski, while the Ukrainian president has now three 0:01:57.880 --> 0:02:02.400 times refused to sign the minerals deal that everyone understands 0:02:02.480 --> 0:02:05.640 is the gateway to an American security agreement. 0:02:06.640 --> 0:02:07.720 Now. One of Donald. 0:02:07.440 --> 0:02:11.560 Trump's central campaign pledges was to end the Ukraine Russia war. 0:02:12.760 --> 0:02:16.680 He says his role currently as one of a mediator 0:02:17.400 --> 0:02:20.560 trying to broke a piece in a war that he 0:02:20.680 --> 0:02:22.919 believes never should have started. 0:02:24.320 --> 0:02:27.119 Well, if I didn't align myself with both of them, 0:02:27.560 --> 0:02:30.320 you'd never have a deal. He wants me to say 0:02:31.600 --> 0:02:35.000 really terrible things about Putin and then say, Hi, Vladimir, 0:02:35.080 --> 0:02:36.840 how are we doing on the deal. That doesn't work 0:02:36.840 --> 0:02:39.840 that way. I'm not aligned with Putin. I'm not aligned 0:02:39.840 --> 0:02:42.640 with anybody. I'm aligned with the United States of America. 0:02:44.160 --> 0:02:49.000 We all know Russia is a murderous dictatorship. It kills 0:02:49.040 --> 0:02:53.119 more journalists than anywhere else in the world. It poisons 0:02:53.280 --> 0:02:59.120 to death its enemies, its critics, and its political rivals unsuspectingly. 0:02:59.160 --> 0:03:02.640 It does this no matter which country therein. It has 0:03:02.760 --> 0:03:06.000 totalitarian rule that has no freedom of speech or freedom 0:03:06.000 --> 0:03:09.440 of the press. Russia works hand in glove with Iran, 0:03:09.880 --> 0:03:13.400 which has an active plot against Trump and is currently 0:03:13.560 --> 0:03:20.000 planning to assassinate him. Russia also invaded Ukraine unprovoked. 0:03:20.080 --> 0:03:21.919 That is a fact. 0:03:22.280 --> 0:03:26.119 Now Trump knows all of this about Russia, but as 0:03:26.120 --> 0:03:28.400 he says, his aim now is to end the war. 0:03:29.080 --> 0:03:33.840 So Trump is engaging in his version of diplomacy by 0:03:33.880 --> 0:03:38.040 not launching a tirade against Vladimir Putin. This is a 0:03:38.040 --> 0:03:41.720 deliberate tactic, and it's one that Secretary of State Marco 0:03:41.800 --> 0:03:46.560 Rubio supports. Rubio has in the past card Putin a 0:03:46.680 --> 0:03:50.440 war criminal and a butcher is both of those things. 0:03:51.480 --> 0:03:54.800 But Rubio isn't repeating those criticisms while he's trying to 0:03:54.880 --> 0:03:59.800 extract achieve extractions from Russia at the negotiating table. 0:04:01.200 --> 0:04:02.800 I'm not going to fall into this trap. Of the 0:04:02.920 --> 0:04:06.000 who's bad and who's evil. People can make those conclusions. 0:04:06.080 --> 0:04:08.200 People have seen how this narrative has played out and 0:04:08.240 --> 0:04:09.440 where we are today and how this. 0:04:09.480 --> 0:04:10.480 All started and so forth. 0:04:11.000 --> 0:04:13.040 The point now is it has to end. And the 0:04:13.080 --> 0:04:15.480 way it ends is you get people to a negotiating table. 0:04:15.640 --> 0:04:18.359 And the president, who's the ultimate deal maker, knows you 0:04:18.360 --> 0:04:20.880 don't get people to a negotiating table when you're calling 0:04:20.960 --> 0:04:23.520 them names and you're accusing them of things. Because at 0:04:23.520 --> 0:04:25.880 the end of the day, this is not a political campaign, okay, 0:04:26.080 --> 0:04:29.240 this is high stakes international diplomacy and an effort to 0:04:29.279 --> 0:04:32.040 bring about an end to a very very dangerous war. 0:04:33.720 --> 0:04:37.080 Now, you can agree or disagree with the tactic, it 0:04:37.160 --> 0:04:39.240 is the one Trump has chosen as he tries to 0:04:39.320 --> 0:04:42.400 end the war and bring about peace. He wants to 0:04:42.440 --> 0:04:47.080 show Russia that he's acting as an impartial mediator. And 0:04:47.240 --> 0:04:50.360 we don't doubt that Trump does want peace. He doesn't 0:04:50.400 --> 0:04:53.400 want this to escalate into World War IIIE, he doesn't 0:04:53.440 --> 0:04:57.680 want more lives lost or more costs to Americans. And 0:04:58.560 --> 0:05:01.760 for his own benefit or his own ego, he certainly 0:05:01.800 --> 0:05:04.440 wants to be the president that ends the war. 0:05:06.080 --> 0:05:09.039 You're gambling with the lives of millions of people seeing 0:05:09.080 --> 0:05:13.279 you're gambling with world War three. You're gambling with world 0:05:13.320 --> 0:05:14.919 War three. 0:05:15.440 --> 0:05:19.680 Now, Trump could have calmed the situation down in the Oval. 0:05:19.320 --> 0:05:22.360 Office, absolutely, but very clearly. 0:05:22.720 --> 0:05:28.200 The two problem figures here are jd Vance and Zelenski himself. Now, 0:05:28.240 --> 0:05:31.279 first to Zelenski, Zelensky. 0:05:30.920 --> 0:05:32.080 Is a war hero. 0:05:32.640 --> 0:05:36.359 He's been bravely defending his country since it was invaded 0:05:36.440 --> 0:05:40.919 by Russia. But he also mishandled this meeting, and he 0:05:41.040 --> 0:05:45.240 hasn't signed the minerals deal. This is now or that 0:05:45.360 --> 0:05:48.039 meeting on Friday was now the third occasion that we 0:05:48.240 --> 0:05:52.040 know of where Zelenski has refused to sign the minerals deal, 0:05:52.680 --> 0:05:55.440 and it's not clear what his concerns are with the 0:05:55.520 --> 0:05:59.279 deal or why he isn't signing it. The Minerals Deal 0:05:59.400 --> 0:06:01.880 is seen by many as a back door for an 0:06:01.880 --> 0:06:07.640 American security agreement, a gateway for American presence in Ukraine. 0:06:08.360 --> 0:06:12.560 Maco Rubio again Secretary of State, and he's morally rock solid. 0:06:13.080 --> 0:06:14.880 He's said as much publicly. 0:06:16.440 --> 0:06:19.320 They also understand that this agreement that was supposed to 0:06:19.360 --> 0:06:21.440 be signed today was supposed to be an agreement that 0:06:21.480 --> 0:06:25.400 binds America economically to Ukraine, which to me, as I've explained, 0:06:25.480 --> 0:06:28.719 I think the President alluded to today is a security guarantee 0:06:28.720 --> 0:06:30.760 in its own way, because we're involved, it's now us, 0:06:30.800 --> 0:06:34.600 it's our interests. That was all explained, that was all understood, 0:06:34.880 --> 0:06:37.880 and nonetheless, for the last ten days, in every engagement 0:06:37.880 --> 0:06:40.240 we've had with the Ukrainians, there's been complications in getting 0:06:40.240 --> 0:06:43.800 that point across, including the public statements that President Zelensky 0:06:43.839 --> 0:06:46.520 has made. But they insisted on coming to DC. This 0:06:46.600 --> 0:06:48.920 agreement could have been signed five days ago, but they 0:06:48.960 --> 0:06:51.280 insisted on coming to Washington, and there was a very 0:06:51.320 --> 0:06:53.479 and should have been a very clear understanding, don't come 0:06:53.480 --> 0:06:56.440 here and create a such scenario where you're going to 0:06:56.440 --> 0:06:59.320 start lecturing us about how diplomacy isn't going to work. 0:07:00.000 --> 0:07:02.400 As President Zelenski took it in that direction, and it 0:07:02.560 --> 0:07:05.640 ended in a predictable outcome as a result. It's unfortunate 0:07:05.760 --> 0:07:07.680 that one's supposed to be this way, but that's the 0:07:07.720 --> 0:07:11.880 path he chose, and I think, frankly, you know country 0:07:11.880 --> 0:07:13.880 backwards in regards to achieving peace. 0:07:15.680 --> 0:07:18.280 The White House Oval Office meeting was meant to be 0:07:18.400 --> 0:07:22.920 about signing the minerals deal, not realticating an argument that 0:07:22.960 --> 0:07:27.040 a diplomatic solution can't work. Now, Marco Rubio is a 0:07:27.080 --> 0:07:31.480 strong supporter of Ukraine, but he's now questioning Zelenski's aim. 0:07:32.080 --> 0:07:35.440 He's asking why Zelenski undermined the first step of a 0:07:35.480 --> 0:07:39.120 peace deal, and he basically accused Lelensky. 0:07:39.000 --> 0:07:40.200 Of self sabotage. 0:07:41.560 --> 0:07:44.800 So you start to perceive that maybe Zelensky doesn't want 0:07:44.840 --> 0:07:47.000 a peace deal. He says he does, but maybe he doesn't. 0:07:47.280 --> 0:07:51.040 And that active, open undermining of efforts to bring about 0:07:51.080 --> 0:07:54.040 peace is deeply frustrating for everyone who's been involved in 0:07:54.080 --> 0:07:56.640 communications with them leading up to today. 0:07:58.160 --> 0:08:01.080 Now that mention there of communications ahead of the meeting 0:08:01.080 --> 0:08:05.080 on Friday, it seems that Zelensky did the precise opposite 0:08:05.240 --> 0:08:09.400 of what Trump's advisors suggested to him. We've seen reports 0:08:09.440 --> 0:08:13.480 that US senators warned Zelensky not to be emotional or 0:08:13.520 --> 0:08:17.800 confrontational with Trump in the meeting. One of them, Lindsey Graham, 0:08:17.840 --> 0:08:20.920 told the New York Times, and I'm quoting, don't take 0:08:20.960 --> 0:08:24.200 the bait I said, and he's saying, he said to Zelenski, 0:08:24.640 --> 0:08:29.320 don't get into arguments about security agreements. Well, instead, it 0:08:29.360 --> 0:08:33.920 could be argued that Zelensky did the exact opposite. Lindsey Graham, again, 0:08:34.080 --> 0:08:38.560 one of Ukraine's greatest supporters, is now saying that the 0:08:38.600 --> 0:08:40.000 president should resign. 0:08:41.160 --> 0:08:44.720 What I saw in the Oval office was disrespectful, and 0:08:44.840 --> 0:08:46.920 I don't know if we can ever do business with 0:08:47.160 --> 0:08:52.120 Zolensky again, I don't. I think most Americans saw a 0:08:52.160 --> 0:08:54.280 guy that they would not want to go in business with. 0:08:54.760 --> 0:08:58.000 The way he handled the meeting, the way he confronted 0:08:58.040 --> 0:09:01.600 the President was just over the top. He either needs 0:09:01.640 --> 0:09:04.079 to resign and send somebody over. 0:09:03.960 --> 0:09:07.760 That we can do business with, or he needs to change. 0:09:08.280 --> 0:09:12.600 Now that call for Zelenski to resign is clearly over 0:09:12.640 --> 0:09:15.840 the top unacceptable. No leader could have done more for 0:09:15.920 --> 0:09:20.880 their people to defend their people when it's during war, 0:09:21.000 --> 0:09:25.199 when their country is under siege. Now, Zelenski's argument, though, 0:09:25.240 --> 0:09:28.480 that he doesn't trust Putin not to break a ceasefire deal, 0:09:29.120 --> 0:09:32.880 those are legitimate concerns, But does that mean that he 0:09:33.040 --> 0:09:35.640 doesn't want to sit down at the negotiating table at all? 0:09:36.120 --> 0:09:39.319 And if he's concerned about Putin not abiding by Trump's deal, 0:09:39.920 --> 0:09:42.560 then he could have raised this with the President privately 0:09:43.240 --> 0:09:46.320 rather than in front of the world's media. And there 0:09:46.480 --> 0:09:49.720 was a twenty minute bilateral meeting before the press cameras 0:09:50.080 --> 0:09:53.760 were called into the oval, but it's been reported Zelenski 0:09:53.920 --> 0:09:58.760 didn't raise his concerns then. Now, it's also worth keeping 0:09:58.800 --> 0:10:03.280 in mind the backstory. Yeah, Trump has viewed Zelenski, rightly 0:10:03.360 --> 0:10:06.840 or wrongly, as too close to Joe Biden and the Democrats. 0:10:07.400 --> 0:10:10.040 And this goes back to Hunter Biden's involvement in that 0:10:10.400 --> 0:10:14.000 energy company in Ukraine. As you may recall, there was 0:10:14.000 --> 0:10:17.640 a vote to impeach Trump after claims he was trying 0:10:17.679 --> 0:10:22.960 to pressure Zelenski to order an investigation into Hunter Biden. Now, 0:10:23.040 --> 0:10:27.120 Zelensky did publicly say that he was not pressured by Trump. 0:10:28.000 --> 0:10:31.720 The New York Post then reports today that Ukraine hasn't 0:10:31.720 --> 0:10:34.120 been a friend to the US either, voting against its 0:10:34.160 --> 0:10:39.840 strategic instrates strategic interests at the United Nations. And that's including, 0:10:39.880 --> 0:10:44.640 by the way, on Israel, despite Zelenski himself being Jewish. 0:10:44.840 --> 0:10:45.760 But let's turn to JD. 0:10:45.880 --> 0:10:49.480 Vance now, because what we saw from the Vice President 0:10:49.960 --> 0:10:54.800 was someone who was clearly a childish agitator and aggressor, 0:10:55.400 --> 0:10:59.920 and he poses a major problem going forward. In fact, 0:11:00.240 --> 0:11:03.559 in my view, JD. Vance should never have been made 0:11:03.760 --> 0:11:08.800 Vice President. This debacle has exposed JD. Vance as not 0:11:08.920 --> 0:11:11.840 up to the job of VP or a future president, 0:11:12.480 --> 0:11:14.800 and that's a role he's trying to position himself for. 0:11:15.960 --> 0:11:18.760 He was the one who was hot headed and grew 0:11:18.840 --> 0:11:22.200 aggressive first. As you can see here. 0:11:23.360 --> 0:11:26.520 What kind of diplomacy ggus became involved. 0:11:26.600 --> 0:11:28.360 What do you what do you mean? 0:11:28.720 --> 0:11:30.960 I'm talking about the kind of diplomacy that's going to 0:11:31.000 --> 0:11:34.320 end the destruction of your country. But mister President, mister President, 0:11:34.320 --> 0:11:36.679 with respect, I think it's disrespectful for you to come 0:11:36.679 --> 0:11:38.360 into the Oval Office to try to litigate this in 0:11:38.360 --> 0:11:40.719 front of the American media. Right now, you guys are 0:11:40.760 --> 0:11:44.360 going around and forcing conscripts to the front lines because 0:11:44.400 --> 0:11:47.600 you have manpower problems. You should be thanking the president 0:11:47.600 --> 0:11:49.600 for to bring it into this conflict. 0:11:51.720 --> 0:11:52.040 JD. 0:11:52.160 --> 0:11:56.800 Vance shouldn't even have been in that meeting given his 0:11:57.000 --> 0:12:00.439 past comments on Ukraine, comments like. 0:12:00.400 --> 0:12:05.800 This, We've spent two hundred billion dollars on Ukraine. You 0:12:05.840 --> 0:12:07.760 know what I wish Zelensky would do when he comes 0:12:07.800 --> 0:12:10.640 to the United States of America, say thank you to 0:12:10.720 --> 0:12:13.240 the people of Pennsylvania and everybody else. 0:12:15.240 --> 0:12:19.960 Now, Vance's very presence would have been antagonistic to Zelenski 0:12:20.480 --> 0:12:23.640 with Vance in that meeting, there was always a high 0:12:23.760 --> 0:12:28.480 risk that it would escalate into hostility, and Trump would 0:12:28.520 --> 0:12:31.319 have every reason to be pretty unhappy with the way 0:12:31.440 --> 0:12:35.240 Vance performed in the Oval and how he derailed the 0:12:35.240 --> 0:12:40.640 minerals deal. Vance didn't think twice about openly attacking a 0:12:40.880 --> 0:12:44.760 leader who is more heroic than he'll ever be, who 0:12:44.840 --> 0:12:48.880 stood up against a well funded murderist dictatorship, attacking his 0:12:49.120 --> 0:12:52.840 far smaller country, who has had to fight a war 0:12:52.880 --> 0:12:56.800 on two fronts, getting allies to support him while in 0:12:56.840 --> 0:13:00.439 combat against Russia on the front line as well. If 0:13:00.520 --> 0:13:03.280 Ukraine was led by anyone with less courage and conviction, 0:13:03.840 --> 0:13:06.959 that it may very well be Russian territory by now, 0:13:07.080 --> 0:13:09.960 as many predicted it would be at the start. 0:13:10.800 --> 0:13:11.200 And JD. 0:13:11.320 --> 0:13:16.040 Vance's suggestion that Zelensky was ungrateful is simply not supported 0:13:16.040 --> 0:13:19.640 by the facts. Look at just how many times and 0:13:20.040 --> 0:13:25.120 more than this, the Ukrainian later has expressed his gratitude. 0:13:26.200 --> 0:13:30.400 Thank you for booth financial texages you have already provided 0:13:30.480 --> 0:13:35.240 us brilliantly. All my appreciations from my heart for the 0:13:35.320 --> 0:13:37.080 heart of Ukrainians, all Ukraine. 0:13:37.559 --> 0:13:40.880 So what can I say to American people in English. 0:13:40.920 --> 0:13:45.240 My English is poor to see all my messages and 0:13:45.360 --> 0:13:47.880 all my thanks to you, and thank you very much 0:13:48.480 --> 0:13:50.480 for supporting us our people. 0:13:50.840 --> 0:13:53.839 Thank you United States, Thank you America. 0:13:54.000 --> 0:13:59.160 Ukraine is grateful to the United States for it's overwhelming support. 0:14:00.840 --> 0:14:01.520 But when JD. 0:14:01.640 --> 0:14:06.520 Vance continually accuses Zelensky of being ungrateful, he's doing that 0:14:06.600 --> 0:14:12.240 deliberately to paint a picture of Ukraine as sponging off 0:14:12.280 --> 0:14:15.520 America for one hundred and seventy five billion dollars in 0:14:15.679 --> 0:14:20.600 US funding. The isolationist Magabase feed off this, and there 0:14:20.600 --> 0:14:25.960 are horrible racist calls for Zelensky to leave America and 0:14:26.160 --> 0:14:29.600 they call him antisemitic names that I won't repeat. 0:14:30.720 --> 0:14:30.920 Now. 0:14:31.120 --> 0:14:33.720 Vance was clearly playing to the MAGA audience to try 0:14:33.760 --> 0:14:37.120 and win support for his own future run for the presidency, 0:14:37.680 --> 0:14:41.360 and in doing this, he's jeopardizing Trump's current term in 0:14:41.440 --> 0:14:46.200 office and Trump's stated goals. This won't be the last 0:14:46.200 --> 0:14:50.160 time Vance derails Trump's agenda for his own egotistical and 0:14:50.240 --> 0:14:55.560 selfish political agenda. Now, today we saw European leaders come 0:14:55.600 --> 0:14:58.920 in to save the day, with France, Germany and the 0:14:59.000 --> 0:15:03.240 UK to form a coalition of the Willing, and it's 0:15:03.280 --> 0:15:06.480 one of course that. Anthony Albanezi jumped on board, saying 0:15:06.520 --> 0:15:08.640 he'd support we. 0:15:08.680 --> 0:15:12.280 Will continue to stand with Ukraine for as long as 0:15:12.320 --> 0:15:16.920 it takes, because this is the struggle of a democratic 0:15:17.000 --> 0:15:20.800 nation versus an authoritarian regime. 0:15:22.600 --> 0:15:24.760 Now, of course a coalition of the willing is great, 0:15:25.320 --> 0:15:28.080 but where the hell have the European leaders been for 0:15:28.120 --> 0:15:31.080 the past three years that Ukraine has been fighting Russia. 0:15:31.720 --> 0:15:32.960 They've been missing in action. 0:15:34.160 --> 0:15:38.360 Now, Peter Dutton today welcomed Europe finally stepping up so 0:15:38.440 --> 0:15:40.880 that it's not only left to the United States to 0:15:40.960 --> 0:15:43.320 defend every country globally. 0:15:44.520 --> 0:15:48.760 The European nations, particularly the bigger nations, can't continue to 0:15:48.800 --> 0:15:53.040 rely for financial support or military support from the United States. 0:15:53.040 --> 0:15:56.320 They need to chip in themselves. And I think President 0:15:56.360 --> 0:15:59.320 Trump's made this clear. It is forty fifth present in 0:15:59.360 --> 0:16:03.920 the forty as now newly elected as well. The United 0:16:03.960 --> 0:16:06.640 States has an incredibly important role to play in the world, 0:16:07.200 --> 0:16:08.840 but it can't be everywhere at once, and I think 0:16:08.840 --> 0:16:11.560 it's important for Europe to step up. It seems that 0:16:11.560 --> 0:16:12.800 that's what's happening at the moment. 0:16:14.360 --> 0:16:17.120 Yeah, they were far too slow, and they've only stepped 0:16:17.160 --> 0:16:20.760 in now in response to Donald Trump. Now There are 0:16:20.800 --> 0:16:22.840 a lot of different views on what unfolded in the 0:16:22.920 --> 0:16:26.080 over office, pages and pages of analysis in the media, 0:16:26.680 --> 0:16:32.520 but one thing is for certain. Ukraine deserves the West's support, 0:16:32.640 --> 0:16:36.840 and so does President Zelenski. The fight against Russia isn't 0:16:36.880 --> 0:16:39.440 just one for Ukraine but for all. 0:16:39.200 --> 0:16:40.479 Of Western civilization. 0:16:41.360 --> 0:16:45.400 If Russia is successful in this war, then it won't stop, 0:16:45.840 --> 0:16:49.920 It'll be emboldened. And Ukraine deserves an outcome where its 0:16:49.920 --> 0:16:58.680 sovereignty is respected. All right, and i'd like to invite 0:16:58.680 --> 0:17:03.320 now welcome to this studio, Ukraine's ambassador to Australia, Vassal Murashenko. 0:17:03.560 --> 0:17:06.000 Welcome to the show. Thank you so much for being here. 0:17:06.480 --> 0:17:07.000 Good evening. 0:17:07.960 --> 0:17:09.600 Now, this argument from. 0:17:09.560 --> 0:17:12.959 Selenski is that he needs security guarantees. But he was 0:17:13.000 --> 0:17:15.760 in the White House to sign the mineral's agreement. It's 0:17:15.800 --> 0:17:18.520 been presented to him at least three times. 0:17:18.720 --> 0:17:19.920 Why hasn't he signed it. 0:17:20.600 --> 0:17:22.240 I think we just have to look at a broader 0:17:22.280 --> 0:17:26.080 picture because one of the elements which has been discussed, 0:17:26.119 --> 0:17:29.400 as we've seen in the videos, was a ceasefire, and 0:17:29.480 --> 0:17:32.399 for Ukraine to commit to a ceasefire, we need to 0:17:32.440 --> 0:17:35.960 have those security guarantees. As you know, Russia invaded Ukraine 0:17:36.000 --> 0:17:39.080 in twenty fourteen. We signed a ceasefire with Russia in 0:17:39.080 --> 0:17:43.680 twenty fifteen. After that, Russia has violated twenty five times 0:17:43.720 --> 0:17:46.960 and broke the ceasfire deal, including many of those times 0:17:47.000 --> 0:17:49.480 on Trump's watch when he was a president. So we 0:17:49.520 --> 0:17:52.880 don't really trust Russia. More so. We have given up 0:17:53.520 --> 0:17:56.800 the third largest stock paller of nuclear weapons in nineteen 0:17:56.880 --> 0:18:02.280 ninety four in exchange for security guarantees from Russia, u As, Britain, 0:18:02.359 --> 0:18:06.400 France and China, so that we get assurances that our 0:18:06.480 --> 0:18:09.600 waters will be always like they were in those days. 0:18:10.000 --> 0:18:13.480 And everybody who signed the deal have not delivered on 0:18:13.520 --> 0:18:16.560 the deal because Russians came back and they destroyed us 0:18:16.560 --> 0:18:19.720 in twenty fourteen, got emboldened by the very weak reaction 0:18:20.160 --> 0:18:24.200 of the global community, and they came back eight years later. 0:18:24.240 --> 0:18:26.119 It was a mission to destroy ukraine sovereignty. 0:18:27.800 --> 0:18:32.639 Despite this understandable distrust of Russia, isn't it worth going 0:18:32.680 --> 0:18:33.879 to the negotiating table? 0:18:33.920 --> 0:18:35.280 How else does the war end? 0:18:36.680 --> 0:18:39.680 We want this war end more than anybody else, but 0:18:39.720 --> 0:18:42.240 for that to happen. That was a concept which was 0:18:42.560 --> 0:18:46.520 offered by President Trump. Its peace through strengths and we 0:18:46.560 --> 0:18:50.000 need to demonstrate unity because security in Europe depends on 0:18:50.080 --> 0:18:54.040 American commitment. It's a backbone and the badrock of that 0:18:54.320 --> 0:18:58.399 is Native and it was actually those countries and the 0:18:58.440 --> 0:19:01.080 leadership of American leadership of BA and to create a 0:19:01.119 --> 0:19:04.760 coalition of countries in support of Ukraine have enabled Ukraine 0:19:04.840 --> 0:19:09.080 to defend herself and we are extremely grateful for that. 0:19:09.520 --> 0:19:14.440 Australia has contributed and chipped in with military equipment and 0:19:14.840 --> 0:19:18.560 other financial assistants. But to end this war, we have 0:19:18.680 --> 0:19:21.480 to be strong and for us to make sure that 0:19:21.560 --> 0:19:25.800 Russians don't come back, we need to have some serious guarantees. 0:19:25.840 --> 0:19:27.840 And let me just explain to you. Critical deal is fine, 0:19:28.240 --> 0:19:31.280 it's pretty negotiated and I'm sure it will be signed. 0:19:31.280 --> 0:19:33.320 I hope to be signed, that it will be signed soon. 0:19:33.400 --> 0:19:35.919 It could have been signed on Friday, five days before that. 0:19:36.400 --> 0:19:39.280 But it was not the problem. It's not the problem. 0:19:39.320 --> 0:19:41.600 The critic bills is not a problem because at the 0:19:41.720 --> 0:19:44.399 end of the day, how can we get investors to 0:19:44.440 --> 0:19:47.360 commit into the development of critical minerals if Ukraine does 0:19:47.400 --> 0:19:50.440 not have security guarantees, If Russians can come back four 0:19:50.480 --> 0:19:53.239 years later destroy what's been done, or capture what's has 0:19:53.280 --> 0:19:57.359 been developed, and it's a cornerstone for any rebuilt and 0:19:57.400 --> 0:20:00.520 reconstruction in Ukraine, because no private cap is going to 0:20:00.560 --> 0:20:03.920 come to Ukraine if we don't have security guarantees, because 0:20:03.960 --> 0:20:06.480 there is no guarantee that Russians will not come back. 0:20:06.520 --> 0:20:10.360 And they've done it already once in twenty twenty two, 0:20:10.880 --> 0:20:13.320 and they will come back later. They just need time 0:20:13.359 --> 0:20:17.160 to restore recipply and regroup and mount another attack. So 0:20:17.200 --> 0:20:21.560 for Ukrainians it's existential to have a security guarantee and 0:20:21.600 --> 0:20:24.679 the most viable option is to become a NATO member. 0:20:25.040 --> 0:20:27.640 If we can't become native member, now we should build 0:20:27.680 --> 0:20:32.480 NATO in Ukraine. Strong military, strong strategic strategic conventional weapons 0:20:32.480 --> 0:20:35.000 on the territory of Ukraine, which would be you know, 0:20:35.080 --> 0:20:38.680 non nuclear, but which serve as a deterrent air defense systems, 0:20:38.720 --> 0:20:42.639 long branch missiles, a presence of a navy of a 0:20:42.720 --> 0:20:45.119 native country in the Black Sea. There must be a 0:20:45.160 --> 0:20:48.920 deterrent or boots on the ground, as British and French 0:20:49.200 --> 0:20:52.399 are now discussing potentially as for that. And this is 0:20:52.440 --> 0:20:55.720 how we can then get the investors, including American investors, 0:20:56.240 --> 0:20:58.879 to come into critical minerals. As you know here in Australia, 0:20:59.080 --> 0:21:02.600 development of any minerals takes years. We're talking about at 0:21:02.680 --> 0:21:05.439 least two decades that needs to take place before we 0:21:05.480 --> 0:21:09.080 can have any revenue from those resources. But in that 0:21:09.240 --> 0:21:11.920 time we need to make sure that that area is protected, 0:21:12.840 --> 0:21:15.480 that we have the security guarantees to develop them. 0:21:15.840 --> 0:21:17.840 The meeting in the Oval, though, was meant to be 0:21:18.080 --> 0:21:21.360 about the minerals deal, So if there were concerns about 0:21:21.400 --> 0:21:25.320 the security guarantees, shouldn't that have been raised prior instead 0:21:25.320 --> 0:21:28.280 of having that argument in front of the media, which 0:21:28.400 --> 0:21:33.440 ended up being this embarrassing spectacle for all involved. 0:21:33.680 --> 0:21:35.800 I'm not across all the agenda which was out there 0:21:35.800 --> 0:21:38.439 because my mandate is Australia and New Zealand. This is 0:21:38.440 --> 0:21:41.200 what I'm responsible for, So i cannot comment on the 0:21:41.359 --> 0:21:44.320 approach and strategy of what had to be discussed there 0:21:44.359 --> 0:21:47.080 and at what sequence. But I'm giving you the official 0:21:47.119 --> 0:21:49.960 position of the country of what needs to happen when 0:21:50.040 --> 0:21:53.439 and criticalous mineral deals was actually something that Ukraine has 0:21:53.440 --> 0:21:56.480 offered to America. That was our part of our victory plan. 0:21:56.560 --> 0:22:00.199 The President Zelenski announced at the end of September, and 0:22:00.240 --> 0:22:02.840 he brought it to America. President Trump liked it, but 0:22:02.880 --> 0:22:04.879 they worked on the tax. It took us two weeks 0:22:04.880 --> 0:22:07.359 to develop the tax. Everybody was happy with that, and 0:22:07.359 --> 0:22:10.080 that was a discussion, and of course it's very unfortunate 0:22:10.080 --> 0:22:15.000 of what we've seen what happened, But nevertheless, American commitment 0:22:15.040 --> 0:22:18.399 to security in Europe is essential, and European Union is 0:22:18.440 --> 0:22:19.639 the largest donor of Ukraine. 0:22:19.680 --> 0:22:20.439 One hundred and. 0:22:20.280 --> 0:22:23.119 Thirty eight billion years was provided to Ukraine by the 0:22:23.119 --> 0:22:26.159 European Union, only then followed by the United States. So 0:22:26.200 --> 0:22:28.000 even if you look at the top five countries who 0:22:28.000 --> 0:22:31.520 supported Ukraine, four of them are European. America is still 0:22:31.520 --> 0:22:34.480 at number one in terms as an individual country. Other 0:22:34.520 --> 0:22:38.400 individual Germany is number two, followed by Britain, followed by Netherlands, 0:22:38.440 --> 0:22:41.560 followed by France. So we see these countries which are 0:22:41.560 --> 0:22:44.439 European countries. Of course they need to spend more money 0:22:44.440 --> 0:22:46.159 on defense, and I think that was part of the 0:22:46.200 --> 0:22:49.240 discussions that we've seen in London. We'll probably see more 0:22:49.280 --> 0:22:51.800 of that on Thursday when Georgia Moloney will be hosting 0:22:51.840 --> 0:22:55.000 a summit. But at the end of the day, security 0:22:55.000 --> 0:22:57.960 in Europe depends in America. Security in into Pacific depends 0:22:57.960 --> 0:23:01.240 on the US leadership, and therefore we are all in 0:23:01.280 --> 0:23:04.400 the same board with Australia to make sure that America 0:23:04.800 --> 0:23:09.120 stays committed to its security guarantees globally. 0:23:09.240 --> 0:23:12.760 Well, given what you've just outlined about how American investment 0:23:13.240 --> 0:23:17.560 is by far higher than any other country, then do 0:23:17.600 --> 0:23:20.040 you think, and this is what the critics have said, 0:23:20.080 --> 0:23:23.480 that Zelenski should have been more respectful when he was 0:23:23.520 --> 0:23:25.919 in the Oval office, that he shouldn't have taken the 0:23:25.960 --> 0:23:28.800 bait and engaged in an argument with the President of 0:23:28.800 --> 0:23:30.040 the United States. 0:23:30.720 --> 0:23:34.840 President Zelenski as a wartime leader, and you cannot really 0:23:34.920 --> 0:23:37.439