According to the top Ukrainian aide, he doesn’t believe Moscow will launch an attack on his country. This is because Russia’s decision makers know that they might end up in a global nuclear war.

Sky News also heard Andriy Yaermak tell Sky News that he hoped Ukraine would “soon” defeat Russia’s invading troops and win.

Mr. Yermak paid tributes to Scott Sibley (36), the first British citizen to die fighting for Ukraine in battle against Russian troops.

He said, “We remember – This hero will remain in our hearts.”

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According to the Head of the Office for President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the worst moments were those that occurred in the last two months of war. He described the stress of finding mass graves and evidence proving war crimes in Bucha and other locations outside Kyiv.

Mr Yermak stated that if Russian forces attempted to move again against the capital, they would be defeated. This was after having been stopped in the initial phase of the invasion.

He said, in English, that he would fight to the end until all of Ukraine’s territory is under the control the Ukrainian government. This was in an interview he gave while sitting at a table inside the well-fortified Presidential Office in Kyiv.

Russia’s Vladimir Putin pointedly spoke about his nuclear arsenal during crisis, raising concerns that he might use it against Ukraine.

However, Mr Yermak stated that a Russian tactic was to use blackmail to scare off an opponent. This could be done with the threat to turn off energy to Europe or to use chemical or nuclear weapons in Ukraine.

He also noted that, as President Zelenskyy stated, there is a nuclear threat from Russia.

However, Mr Yermak stated that he personally doesn’t think Russia will use a nuke weapon.

He stated that “the people who make these decisions want life – and if it starts using nuclear weapons it will not be for any soldier… It will create a new nuclear conflict and nobody knows who will be alive after it.”

More Sky News:

What are Russia’s nuclear weapons?

Russia’s nuclear capabilities ‘concerning

When asked if it would actually mean the end the world, he replied: “Yeah, these people want to be alive too much to risk so much.”

The top aide emphasized the importance of western weapons for the support of the Ukrainian fighting forces.

He said, “It’s one of the conditions for our quick victory” and that it was the win without too many losses.

“We are now paying a high price because we are paying for the lives of our people.”

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Mr Yermak spoke warmly of the strong friendship and support provided by the UK. He called a visit to Kyiv in April by Boris Johnson, British Prime Minister, to see Mr Zelenskyy a big inspiration.

To the delight of their security guards, he said that the decision by the leaders to leave the President’s Office compound to take a walk through the capital to Independence Square was impromptu.

“It was a big shock for security, but so happy to the people.”

When asked how long he believed the war in Ukraine would continue, Mr Yermak replied: “I hope it doesn’t last. Some people might want it to take too long. Most Ukrainians want it finished as soon possible. It will all depend on our victory… I am certain it will happen soon and I am confident about it.”