European summit in Brussels: Volodymyr Zelensky calls for new aid for Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday thanked the Europeans for their military aid but warned that warnings about the supply of long-range missiles and fighter jets risked prolonging the war. Returning from the Kherson region, near the southern front, the president called, via videoconference from a train, the European leaders meeting at the summit in Brussels. The connection was interrupted once, but the Ukrainian president was able to deliver his message, said a European official.

“We need more modern planes”

He warned against refusing to supply his forces with long-range missiles and modern fighter jets. “We cannot delay the transfer to our soldiers of weapons that can protect Ukrainians from terror. First of all, these are long-range weapons,” Volodymyr Zelensky said, according to a video posted on his Telegram account. . “We need more modern aircraft” than the MiGs already sent to kyiv, he added.

The Ukrainian president also demanded the adoption of new sanctions against Russia, progress on his country’s accession to the EU and progress on his peace plan. “Ukraine is ready to take a decision on the start of EU membership negotiations this year. All European leaders should show the same readiness,” he said. Delays on these various points could “prolong the war”, he warned, quoted by the European official.

Conference on children abducted by Russia

Westerners consider that Ukraine has the right to defend itself against Russian aggression and that they contribute to this defense with their arms supplies. But many are reluctant to deliver weapons that would escalate the conflict by allowing Ukraine to hit Russia. However, some European countries have announced that they are ready to supply Ukraine with Soviet-made combat aircraft. Four MIG-29s were delivered to Ukraine on Thursday, the Slovak Defense Ministry said. Poland has also promised to provide four MIG-29s.

But kyiv is calling for modern fighter-bombers, including American F-16s. The Europeans approved Monday the allocation of two billion euros to finance joint purchases of artillery ammunition which Ukraine desperately needs to counter the Russian offensive.

The European Union will organize with Warsaw and kyiv a conference to help locate the 16,000 children kidnapped in Ukraine by Russia. Volodymyr Zelensky is also asking the 27 for new sanctions against Moscow, but also for progress on his country’s accession to the European Union. His country was ready to begin negotiations this year. He expects “the same eagerness from all European leaders”.