President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine called on Western allies during a meeting at Ramstein Air Base in Germany to disregard Russia’s “red lines” and permit Kyiv to utilize long-range weapons for attacks on Russian soil. He argued that this capability would serve as an additional means to pressure Russia into seeking peace.
In his statement, Zelenskyy emphasised the necessity of additional armaments to counter the Russian invasion and reclaim Ukrainian territory.”We need more weapons to drive Russian forces off our land,” he said.
Furthermore, the Ukrainian leader called on Kyiv’s partners to fulfill their prior pledges of support saying, “The number of air defence systems that have not been delivered is significant.”
“We need to have this long-range capability not only on the occupied territory of Ukraine, but also on Russian territory, yes, so that Russia is motivated to seek peace,” Zelenskyy added in his appeal. “We need to make Russian cities and even Russian soldiers think about what they need: peace or Putin.”
This comes at a critical juncture for Ukrainian forces, as they launched a surprise offensive into Russia’s Kursk region while Russian troops focused on capturing the strategically important city of Pokrovsk in eastern Ukraine, as reported by Reuters.
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin highlighted the Kursk offensive as evidence of Ukraine’s efforts to seize the initiative on the battlefield, stating, “The Kremlin’s army of aggression is now on the defensive on its own turf.”
Despite this, Austin’s comments emphasised the broader goal of supporting Ukraine’s efforts to repel Russian forces from its territory. He announced an additional $250 million in security assistance and noted that “Putin’s malice runs deep. Moscow is continuing its offensive in the east of Ukraine, especially around Pokrovsk.”
Zelenskyy is expected to visit the United States this month, aiming to present a “victory plan” to President Joe Biden. However, with the war continuing and the Kursk incursion having yet to divert Russian forces from within Ukraine, the effectiveness of the advance into Russian territory remains uncertain. Russian forces currently control 18% of Ukraine and have been making gradual progress in the east since the failure of Kyiv’s 2023 counter-offensive to achieve a significant breakthrough. The Kremlin maintains that conditions for peace talks with Ukraine do not currently exist, but Putin has suggested that China, India, and Brazil could potentially serve as mediators.
In his statement, Zelenskyy emphasised the necessity of additional armaments to counter the Russian invasion and reclaim Ukrainian territory.”We need more weapons to drive Russian forces off our land,” he said.
Furthermore, the Ukrainian leader called on Kyiv’s partners to fulfill their prior pledges of support saying, “The number of air defence systems that have not been delivered is significant.”
“We need to have this long-range capability not only on the occupied territory of Ukraine, but also on Russian territory, yes, so that Russia is motivated to seek peace,” Zelenskyy added in his appeal. “We need to make Russian cities and even Russian soldiers think about what they need: peace or Putin.”
This comes at a critical juncture for Ukrainian forces, as they launched a surprise offensive into Russia’s Kursk region while Russian troops focused on capturing the strategically important city of Pokrovsk in eastern Ukraine, as reported by Reuters.
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin highlighted the Kursk offensive as evidence of Ukraine’s efforts to seize the initiative on the battlefield, stating, “The Kremlin’s army of aggression is now on the defensive on its own turf.”
Despite this, Austin’s comments emphasised the broader goal of supporting Ukraine’s efforts to repel Russian forces from its territory. He announced an additional $250 million in security assistance and noted that “Putin’s malice runs deep. Moscow is continuing its offensive in the east of Ukraine, especially around Pokrovsk.”
Zelenskyy is expected to visit the United States this month, aiming to present a “victory plan” to President Joe Biden. However, with the war continuing and the Kursk incursion having yet to divert Russian forces from within Ukraine, the effectiveness of the advance into Russian territory remains uncertain. Russian forces currently control 18% of Ukraine and have been making gradual progress in the east since the failure of Kyiv’s 2023 counter-offensive to achieve a significant breakthrough. The Kremlin maintains that conditions for peace talks with Ukraine do not currently exist, but Putin has suggested that China, India, and Brazil could potentially serve as mediators.