The next is the transcript of the interview with Olga Stefanishyna, Ukraine’s ambassador to the U.S., that aired on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” on March 8, 2026.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We flip now to the battle in Ukraine, and Ukraine’s ambassador to the USA, Olga Stefanishyna. Welcome again to Face the Nation.
UKRAINIAN AMBASSADOR OLGA STEFANISHYNA: Nicely, Margaret, thanks for having me.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So, one of many greatest threats to Ukraine has been Russia’s ballistic missiles that it has been firing into your nation for a while. The answer has been the Patriot system, the American interceptors. They’re briefly provide, as you properly know, and now America’s allies within the Gulf inform us that also they are in short-supply there and so they want them. Your president mentioned he’s involved America goes to cut back its air protection help for Ukraine. How a lot of an issue is that this on your nation?
AMB. STEFANISHYNA: Nicely, thanks, Margaret, for asking this query. In fact, we’ve got been speaking about that publicly as properly and have been having private discussions. However an important factor that we see that, you already know, the occasions occurring proper now with the battle in Iran have been so resolute that most likely these are the most-important developments on a worldwide enviornment over a decade. So, no shortages of means must be a problem. And we’re certain that the American protection trade is able to ensuring that every one the fronts are coated. Ukraine has the sources and talent to acquire extra, and we’re trying ahead for exploring the choices, easy methods to do it. But additionally, you already know, we ended up with 4 300 Shahed drones over the homes of Ukraine, which was solely attainable as a result of Iran has been a strategic enabler of the Russian aggression three years in the past, and we see what the involvement of low-cost applied sciences is, and we’ve got been able to contribute.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Nicely, I requested that earlier in this system of the Vitality Secretary, Chris Wright, as a result of Russia and Iran have been allied right here. They’ve been buying and selling sources and expertise. They’re allied in some ways. He appeared to say they had been not likely an element. You say they’re straight one.
AMB. STEFANISHYNA: Nicely, I imply, they’re completely an element, as a result of mainly the Shahed drone expertise was developed to assault individuals, to demoralize inhabitants, to trigger the losses amongst civilians. So, it killed, like, tons of of Ukrainian children, so many households, and this was a strategic enabler of battle. And Russia has been- Russia weren’t investing in bilateral relations or growth or investments. They had been investing in regimes like Iran, Venezuela, and Syria, simply because they thought it isn’t attainable to have the resolute motion as it’s now happening with Iran and because it was earlier than in Venezuela. And it was not attainable a few years in the past with Syria. So, they’re disadvantaged of technique of their affect, they’re weaker. But additionally we must always not overlook that Ukraine has proven that Russia is not any totally different from all of those international locations. It is simply greater, and we see that, you already know, the expertise which is being gained proper now, and the brand new actuality which is been shaped by President Trump additionally paves the way in which, the brand new actuality for the Russians, and I am certain they’re actually, actually afraid of it.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Nicely, your president mentioned he was requested by the USA to offer anti-drone expertise that Ukraine has to America. When does that arrive? When will that be operational?
AMB. STEFANISHYNA: So, you already know, we perceive greater than anyone on this world what is required in a second of disaster. What is required once you see when your persons are dying simply throughout so many cities of the Gulf international locations. And what we advised is the speedy motion and speedy response. So, we are able to safe the skies. We will present the air protection as a result of we’ve got a lot data. And these are solely Ukrainian individuals, Ukrainian armed forces who’ve this information and functionality, so we’re in a position to present it to the USA and the Gulf international locations and that is what we did. We’re not going to face apart realizing that persons are dying as a result of we all know how painful it’s and we are going to do every part we are able to to guarantee that this resolute motion is ending up with one thing that is named constructive.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So, sending advisors to assist. It feels like special–
AMB. STEFANISHYNA: And likewise capabilities. So, it is the drone capabilities of Ukraine shouldn’t be solely the drone or the individuals, it is the entire spectrum of actions you take, as a result of state of affairs is altering each week and you have to have individuals and the mechanism which permit to react instantly and that is what solely Ukraine has on the whole planet.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So just some days in the past, President Trump mentioned he thinks Vladimir Putin is able to make a deal. And he mentioned that Volodymyr Zelensky, your president, has to get on the ball, and he has to get a deal achieved. And he referred to him as a P.T. Barnum of Ukraine. It looks as if the connection continues to be actually tense, despite the fact that you are speaking about Ukraine serving to the USA. What is going on on right here?
AMB. STEFANISHYNA: Nicely, I imply, I feel positively a few minutes of this dialogue shouldn’t be sufficient for that. However I feel we’re assessing the state of affairs by actions. And the actions are that there’s a mechanism the place Ukraine nonetheless can get entry to American navy tools. President Trump has launched important sanctions to the Russian Federation over the past months. And likewise we’re in dialogue already trilaterally with the USA and Russians on ending the battle. All of it is a crucial growth and we’re trying ahead for his or her success. However for us an important factor is that we’re in a position to defend ourselves and safe our cities and we’re doing that to the extent we are able to with the American help. And we’ve got by no means been too drained to provide credit score to President Trump for therefore many essential issues he did. Though the rhetorics we hear generally shouldn’t be one thing that basically very clear or very constructive. However we’re a tricky nation, we’re robust individuals, we’ve got been by a lot that a few phrases shouldn’t be actually one thing that may distract us, and we all know what we all know, that Ukraine is a rustic on the planet which actually desires the battle over greater than anyone, and that is the place we stand.
MARGARET BRENNAN: What proof do you could have that Russia helps Iran in its battle proper now on these American allies?
AMB. STEFANISHYNA: Nicely, some data has been offered. It is not one thing that we’d need to share, you already know, in a media or go public with. However I may guarantee you that it isn’t solely Ukraine. There are, like, numerous international locations who’ve so much data and a disposal and intel neighborhood could be very properly developed throughout all of the NATO codecs. So no matter data is there, it is already on the disposal of, you already know, all allies and companions, together with the USA. And. I am certain that is an data which is black and white. It is nothing which may very well be known as grey.
MARGARET BRENNAN: However it goes past sharing concentrating on data, which CBS has reported?
AMB. STEFANISHYNA: I am undecided that I may actually touch upon that, however I feel we must always look additionally within the context that Russia has been supporting the regimes of the international locations I’ve talked about, like Venezuela, like Syria, like Iran, for years, and this partnership was attainable and developed in constructing the productions within the Russian Federation.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Ambassador, thanks on your time at this time.
