The following is a transcript of an interview with Oksana Markarova, Ukrainian ambassador to the U.S, that aired on Dec. 17, 2023. MARGARET BRENNAN: With time running out on any additional aid for Ukraine from Congress this year, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made a last minute visit to Washington last week to make his case for more support for the fight against Russia. Oksana Makarova is Ukraine’s ambassador to the United States and is back with us. Good morning to you, Ambassador. UKRAINIAN AMBASSADOR TO THE U.S. OKSANA MARKAROVA: Good morning. Thank you for having me. MARGARET BRENNAN: President Biden said Congress is about to give Vladimir Putin the best Christmas present he could get. How urgent is it that this funding be approved this year? AMB. MARKAROVA: Well, time is of the essence and time is already running out because as you know, we already do not have any programs of support except for some presidential drawdown package. But nothing in the budget supports, nothing in humanitarian or energy support. It’s great that we have prepared thanks to the big support from the U.S. and you see already all these attacks on Kyiv, on- on other places in Ukraine. They’re very similar to last year, but this year, they were not able to cause blackouts for a long time and that’s all because we together work so much and because American people helped us to prepare for this. And it’s so much cheaper to prevent it rather than to repair it. But we really are counting on our friends and partners here. And you know, I believe in Christmas miracles. I really hope that, you know, this Christmas will show that we- all civilized people, all people who believe in freedom, that we can stay the course much […]
Click here to visit source. Transcript: Oksana Markarova on “Face the Nation,” Dec. 17, 2023