Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday urged allies to step up weapons supplies, on his first visit to the military alliance headquarters since the start of Russia’s all-out war.
Zelensky made a plea for air defence, long-range missiles and ammunition in the face of fears that the Hamas attack on Israel could distract key backer the United States from the conflict in his country.
“How to survive during this next winter for us is big,” Zelensky said as he addressed the media with NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg before meeting alliance defence ministers.
“We are preparing, we are ready. Now we need some support from the leaders. That’s why I’m here today.”
Kyiv’s international backers were meeting to discuss arms deliveries, with a focus on keeping Ukraine’s counter-offensive advancing and providing air defences to protect against an expected winter onslaught by Russia.
“We will stand by you provide support to Ukraine, because this is really important for the whole of NATO,” Stoltenberg told Zelensky.
The Ukrainian president has expressed worries that the crisis in Israel could deflect attention from the war raging in his homeland.
Zelensky urged the West to rally around the Israeli people as it had around Ukraine after Russia’s invasion last year, and show them they are not “alone”.
“My recommendation to the leaders to go to Israel and I think to support people, just people I’m not speaking about any institutions, just to support people who have been under terrorist attacks,” he said.–AFP
