Zelensky urges fast arms supplies

UKRAINIAN LEADER WARNS OF RENEWED ATTACKS

Hailed as a European hero on his arrival in Brussels, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky urged European Union (EU) leaders to accelerate the promised delivery of modern long-range weapons.

The Ukrainian leader warned during an EU summit on Thursday that he could not return empty-handed from what was only his second foreign trip since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion just under a year ago.

With a renewed Russian offensive piling pressure on Kyiv’s forces in the east, the former actor turned war leader urged his allies to turn what he said were their “positive signals” into “concrete” words.

After Wednesday’s visits to London and Paris to lobby Britain, France and Germany for modern fighter jets and longrange missiles, Zelensky flew on to Brussels to address EU leaders and the European parliament.

Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) gave him a standing ovation as he portrayed Ukraine as the country fighting to defend Europe’s eastern borders and urged a rapid welcome into the EU fold.

“We are defending against the most anti-European force of the modern world – we are defending ourselves, we Ukrainians on the battlefield, along with you,” Zelensky told MEPs.

After the parliamentary address, Zelensky joined the 27 leaders of the EU member states as a special guest at their regular summit, invited by the European Council president to make an opening address.

“I have to thank you personally for your unwavering support of our country and our aspirations, our aspirations to live in a united, free Europe,” he told them.

But he also warned that Ukraine needs to receive artillery, munitions, modern tanks, long-range missiles and fighter jets faster than Russia can prepare what he said would be a dangerous new offensive. –