Transcript: Ambassador Oksana Markarova on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," May 4, 2025
MARGARET BRENNAN: We turn now to Ukraine's ambassador to the United States, Oksana Makarova. Ambassador, good to have you back. I understand Russia has been attacking Kyiv as recently as overnight. What can you tell us?
AMB. MARKAROVA: Good morning, Margaret. Yes, another very difficult day and night in Kyiv, and not only Kyiv, Cherkasy and some other places, more than 165 Shahed drones, Iranian drones, have been deployed again against completely civilian targets. So unfortunately, this is a horrible reality during the past 1,166 days. Every day, regardless of Russia says, there are some attacks and there are civilian casualties and there are civilian destructions. And for the same 1,166 days, we work diligently on getting- not only defending us, but getting to peace. And Ukraine is devoted to peace.
MARGARET BRENNAN: There has been a shift, in tone, at least, between the Trump administration and your president. President Zelenskyy told reporters Friday that his conversation with President Trump at the Pope's funeral was the best meeting they've ever had, and he's confident things will look different now. What is he indicating? What's coming next? When do they speak next?
AMB. MARKAROVA: Look, our partnership with the U.S. is very important for us. U.S. has been and is a strategic partnership. We are really grateful to American people for all the support that we are getting from the U.S. It would not be possible for us to defend ourselves without those Javelins, without those weapons that U.S. has provided us, and it was President Trump who decided to provide us Javelins, as- when- when I was still a finance minister--
MARGARET BRENNAN: Back in 2017.
AMB. MARKAROVA: --and it was back in 2017, and then large support from American people during the past three years have really been a game changer, and we are very grateful for it. The meeting was great. And you know, as you know, after that meeting, we have signed, really, a great agreement, economic partnership agreement, between our two nations, which will take that partnership to a new level. So look, we might have some disagreements on- on- in some areas, but Ukraine is committed to peace. Ukraine wants peace more than anyone, and we need U.S. We- we- our countries are based on the same values. We are defending freedom in Ukraine. We are not the ones who started this war. And now it's not only the right or moral thing to do, to- the fact to support Ukraine, but also, U.S. has, as your Secretary of Treasury said, an interest and specific economic interest in Ukraine.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, I want to ask you about that deal. This is what's often described as a minerals agreement, but it's a broader economic partnership that's going forth for ratification in your government this week, I understand. This was agreed to, but Russia's Foreign Minister has said that the mineral deposits that exist in Ukraine, in the east, are one reason his country wouldn't withdraw from that area. So can the U.S. and Ukraine make this deal work if Russian troops are still in the area where those mineral deposits largely are?
AMB. MARKAROVA: Margaret, as you said, this is an economic partnership agreement to create an investment fund to- for both of our nations to benefit from amazing investment opportunities that Ukraine has. We discussed before, and I'm so glad that we can not only discuss the horrible tragedy and destruction brought by a Russian unprovoked invasion, but also of the bright future that we, together with America, and- and other countries, can have. Ukraine has agricultural land and black soil, and with the technologies, even during the war, we feed more than 400 million people. We have energy, we have mineral- critical mineral deposits. We have so much, including the human talent, and we can develop it together. So look, when Russians criticize something, it's a sign for all of us that we are doing something right. This deal will work, and it will work if Ukraine is peaceful.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Let's talk- Let's talk more on the other side of this commercial break, we'll be right back.
(ANNOUNCEMENTS)
MARGARET BRENNAN: Welcome back to "Face the Nation." We return now to our conversation with Ukrainian ambassador, Oksana Makarova. We've been discussing the deal that the United States and Ukraine came to in regard to this economic partnership. I've read that the deal counts future U.S. military assistance in the form of ammunition, weapons systems, and training as a contribution to the investment fund, and that Ukraine will not reimburse Washington for past military aid. Is that how it's set up?
AMB. MARKAROVA: Well, we- first of all, it's important that it's going to be, as we say, 50/50 deal. So we, together, will set up that fund. We will run it together, and all the future contribution that- or investments that U.S. will be providing us, including military deals, will be counted as contribution to that fund, and Ukraine will be also committing the proceeds from the new licenses and new developments into the fund. So essentially, it's- it's a true partnership where we would be able to put resources together in order to invest into a wide range of projects, including infrastructure, including rare earths, including critical minerals, and both of our nations will benefit from it.
MARGARET BRENNAN: When does that get up and running?
AMB. MARKAROVA: We are working very actively on it. As you saw, the deal between the governments have been signed. It's going to be ratified by our parliament, hopefully soon. You have seen strong messages from President Zelenskyy, and it's his vision and vision of President Trump behind the deal that is moving it forward. Of course, there will be the creation of the fund, the setup of the fund. I used to work in private equity in my previous life. That takes a little bit of time, but we are moving very fast, so hopefully the teams will come, put everything together, and we'll start working.
MARGARET BRENNAN: But within this there aren't security guarantees. Are there promises of future military aid from the United States? Because if this pea- effort to get a peace deal together doesn't work, the fate of the war is still in- in question.
AMB. MARKAROVA: Well, you know this- the situation with Russian aggression towards Ukraine is so complex. There are many- we're discussing the potential possible peace deals. We are discussing this economic partnership deal, which is already signed. We're discussing other possible scenarios and security guarantees and involvement of other friends and allies. And you know, Europe has been more active and proactive in- in a number of areas. So this economic partnership deal in itself is a very important part of the broader security- security architecture, if- if I may say so. And frankly, that fund will be successful if Ukraine is stable and peaceful. So in a way, it's an important part of the future security guarantees.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Vladimir Putin told Russian state TV he thinks that he can bring this war to a logical conclusion- he avoided the word war, he said, this thing that started in 2022. But he said, there has been no need to use nuclear weapons. And quote, "I hope they will not be required." How do you interpret that?
AMB. MARKAROVA: Well, it's very difficult to interpret a man and a so-called leader of the nation who attacked Georgia in 2008, attacked Ukraine in 2014, conducted two genocidal wars on his own, in his own Federation, against Chechnya. Did war crimes in Syria, poisoned people in- in Great Britain. I mean, I think at this point it doesn't matter how we interpret what he says. We just have to believe what he says and understand what he says. He is a threat, not only to Ukraine, but also to anyone who believes that nations should live peacefully, do not challenge each other's borders, and just focus on the economic cooperation. That's what we are doing with the United States, and hopefully our collective efforts, and with Europe, with all the Baltic and Nordic states, with all the friends and allies, including Japan, including UK, including so many people that are coming together in order to bring peace, not only to our part of the world, but globally. Because it's- it's important. Putin is doing it together with Iran and North Korea. They are not hiding it. They are supporting other terroristic regimes, and we should also stay together in order to bring peace.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Ambassador, thank you for your time today. We'll be right back.
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