Volodymyr Zelenskyy: Ukraine needs 'more time' before anticipated counterattack on Russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said his military needs more time to prepare an anticipated counteroffensive against Russia - and could not yet guarantee the assault would win freedom for his country.

It would open a new chapter in the war that began more than 14 months ago with the Kremlin’s invasion, but to launch the assault now would be "unacceptable" because too many lives would be lost, Zelenskyy continued.

He spoke in an interview on Thursday about Ukraine's aim to push back Russian forces with the counterattack, though declined to specify just when his army would advance.

"To some extent this prepares the enemy... I would like it to be an unpleasant surprise, not the other way around," he was quoted as saying.

“With (what we have) we can go forward and be successful.

“But we’d lose a lot of people. I think that’s unacceptable.

"So we need to wait. We still need a bit more time."

The interview was reportedly carried out in Kyiv with public service broadcasters who are members of Eurovision News.

A Ukrainian fightback against Russia's invasion has been expected for weeks - Ukraine is receiving advanced Western weapons, including tanks and air defenses, and Western training for its troops as it gears up for an expected assault.

Zelenskyy's approach will be "a simple one" he said.

"We will do everything to make the enemy run. Where will he end up? Honestly, I think it depends on our spirit."

"I can't tell you specifically where we will get in the counter-offensive actions. We have many different steps."

"And I think we will achieve the appropriate result.

"But to say that immediately after this counter-offensive the full sovereignty of Ukraine will be restored... I can't say that yet, because it's a war."

The Kremlin's forces are deeply entrenched in eastern areas of Ukraine with layered defensive lines reportedly up to 20 kilometers (12 miles) deep.

Kyiv's counteroffensive would likely face minefields, anti-tank ditches and other obstacles.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is counting on reducing the war to a so-called frozen conflict, with neither side able to dislodge the other, Zelenskyy said.

He ruled out surrendering territory to Russia in return for a peace deal.

Military analysts have warned Putin is hoping the West’s costly support for Kyiv will begin to fray.

Ukraine’s Western allies have sent the country 65 billion euros (£56.5 billion) in military aid to help thwart the Kremlin’s ambitions, and with no peace negotiations on the horizon the alliance is gearing up to send more.

Zelenskyy added that while Russia has a large number of soldiers, their army is "shattered".

He also acknowledged the "fatigue" Western allies may have in their support of Ukraine, but insisted it is important people remain invested.

"There are some moments of fatigue, but it's tiredness," the President said.

"The war is not going on for just one day.

"Of course, there are people who are getting tired. But the majority of people - and thanks to this majority we are winning - cannot get tired.

"You just can't. There could be a Third World War."

A senior NATO official said that in the coming months of the war, Ukraine will have the edge in quality but Russia has the upper hand in quantity.

“The Russians are now starting to use very old material, very old capabilities,” Bob Bauer, chair of the NATO Military Committee, told reporters late Wednesday in Brussels.

“The Russians will have to focus on quantity."

At the beginning of the interview, Zelenskyy also spoke on his disagreement that the UK hosts the Eurovision final on Saturday in place of 2022 winners Ukraine.

"I highly respect Britain, society and a wonderful state," he began.

"I think that my opinion from the very beginning was that Eurovision, if we cannot host it, should be in one of the countries that shares borders with us, like Slovakia or Poland, or some other state where our people could go and where it would be very close."

"I connected with people who make Eurovision decisions... they have a different view on this.

"But nevertheless, the main thing is that the competition takes place."

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