Zelenskyy pushes for speedy support to avoid more deaths
MUNICH — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged Western allies Friday to quicken their military support for Ukraine, warning at a major international secu- rity conference that delays would play into Russia’s hand as the invasion approaches its first anniversary.
“There is no alternative to speed, because it’s speed that life depends on,” Zelen- skyy told the Munich Secu- rity Conference in Germany.
Ukraine depends on West- ern weapons to thwart Russian President Vladimir Putin’s ambition to seize large areas of the country. The military aid has become a test of foreign governments’ resolve in light of increasing financial costs.
About 40 heads of state and government, as well as politicians and security experts from almost 100 countries are due to attend the three-day gathering amid fears that the fight- ing in Ukraine could invite a new Cold War.
In his plea for more West- ern weapons, Zelenskyy com- pared Ukraine’s struggle against the Russian invasion to the biblical fight between David and Goliath, saying his country had David’s courage but needed help getting the sling.
Zelenskyy vowed that his country would ultimately pr e vail over Moscow’s aggression — and even predicted that victory would happen this year. But he warned that Russia “can still destroy many lives.”
“That is why we need to hurry up,” Zelenskyy said. “We need the speed.”
Zelenskyy portrays Ukraine as defending Western values of freedom and democracy against tyranny and argues that his country needs to be properly equipped to fend off Russia’s much bigger force. Western countries have sided with him, but at times they have been slow to meet his requests.
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris is scheduled to address the conference today. She will lay out what’s at stake in the war, and why it matters, to bolster the case for maintaining U.S. support for Ukraine for as long as necessary, the White House said.