03.15.2022

Marie Yovanovitch: “This Is a War of Extermination”

Marie Yovanovitch has been at the center of the American-Ukrainian relationship for years. Having served as U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine, she then became a household name as a witness during President Trump’s first impeachment trial. It was an experience she details in her new memoir, “Lessons from the Edge.”

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CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR: Given the fact that this support is going, but, obviously, you know that President Zelenskyy wants more, he needs and he wants the airspace to be closed — and, if not that, I heard his ambassador here say, if it’s not a no-fly zone, we need enough anti-aircraft missiles and that kind of defense to let us do it. Let us shoot their planes that are shooting at us. Do you think they get they’re getting enough? I mean, he’s addressing, as you saw today, the Canadian Parliament, tomorrow Congress. Eventually, he will discuss with the Israeli M.P.s. He’s been here at the British Parliament, the E.U. Parliament, all via Zoom. But it’s very effective. He’s get standing ovations. Is he getting enough real support?

MARIE YOVANOVITCH, FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO UKRAINE: I think I think Zelenskyy is addresses and communication with a parliament, but also just with ordinary people, has been very, very effective, because he has sort of single-handedly, almost — that, plus the bravery of the Ukrainian people — rallied the world behind Ukraine’s cause. I think that we have been providing a lot of assistance, not just the United States, but other Western countries. And we need to provide a lot more, because we need to help support Ukraine, and we need to help save Ukraine. And I think that there are many options on the table. I don’t think any of them should be taken off. At this point, we should be concentrating on defensive sorts of things, anti-air, anti-tank, and other systems in that category. This is about — this is a war of extermination. It’s pretty clear. And we need to do everything we can to help Ukraine withstand this assault from a tyrant. This is more than about Ukraine, in fact. It is about the fight between freedom and tyranny, and we need to stand up and help those who are fighting for freedom.

About This Episode EXPAND

Journalist Mikhail Zygar discusses Russian citizens’ growing dissent against the war in Ukraine. Former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch explains why she thinks “we need to do everything we can to help Ukraine.” The New Yorker’s David Remnick joins Walter Isaacson to explore Putin’s past.

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