MOSCOW, November 16. /TASS/. Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky admitted that his country will plunge into a recession and the government will be unable to pay social benefits to its citizens if the West stops its financial support.

"I will tell you frankly - it will be very tough without support. All the money earned by Ukraine goes to our military," he said during a meeting with African reporters. "It will be tough to provide important social support, such as pensions and other forms of sustenance to vulnerable social groups. We will have to either cut the support to the military and their salaries or to freeze social assistance. In any case, it will be a crisis."

At the same time, Zelensky claimed that Ukraine’s military capabilities and its ability to engage in military operations will not be affected even if the West stops its aid. He also disagreed with the fact that Ukraine was dependent on military support from the West. "This is not true," Zelensky said, without giving further details.

After the beginning of Russia’s special military operation, Ukraine’s Western partners have considerably increased weapons supplies to Kiev. However, it keeps on asking for more weapons and munitions. In recent time, the Western media have been raising the topic of the partners’ fatigue of the Ukrainian conflict, the widening gaps with Kiev amid the absence of actual breakthroughs in the combat zone and the need for further financial support for Ukraine’s economy.