Zelenskyy’s Europe trip aims to restock arsenal, build political support

Ukraine preparing push to reclaim territory seized by Russia.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy set off across Europe with a long shopping list. Ukraine’s president will head home with much of what he wanted though not the Western — fighter jets he seeks to defend against Russian air attacks.

European leaders promised Zelenskyy an arsenal of missiles, tanks and drones during a whirlwind three-day visit to Italy, the Vatican, Germany, France and the U.K. that sought to replenish Ukraine’s depleted weapons supplies ahead of a long-anticipated spring offensive aimed at turning the tide of the war.

The trip was also about shoring up European political and military support for the longer term, to ensure Ukraine can hold any ground it takes back and press for a favorable peace.

“They’ve got to show … they’re in this conflict for the long term and that they’re able to keep sustaining this effort,” said Justin Crump, a former British tank commander who heads security consultancy Sibylline. “It’s not going to be one shot and done.”

Pressing his case to European leaders in person shows Zelenskyy’s growing confidence about traveling abroad. It’s also an attempt to get his “ducks in a row” as Ukraine prepares a push to reclaim territory seized by Russia, said Patrick Bury, senior lecturer in security at the University of Bath.

Bury said that if Ukraine launches an offensive “and it doesn’t go well, there might be a drop-off in support and more pressure to negotiate. I think he’s just trying to bind in for as long as he possibly can as much support as he can from the West.”

On Monday, the U.K. pledged

hundreds more air defense missiles, as well as attack drones with a range of more than 120 miles.

France, where Ukraine’s leader met President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday, said it would supply Ukraine with dozens of light tanks and armored vehicles, along with unspecified air defense systems.

Zelenskyy also visited Germany for talks with Chancellor Olaf Scholz, whose initial reluctance to provide Ukraine with lethal weapons was a source of frustration in Kyiv. Now, Germany has become one of the biggest arms suppliers to Ukraine, including battle tanks and the sophisticated IRIS-T SLM air-defense system.

During Zelenskyy’s visit, Germany announced another 2.7 billion euros ($3 billion) worth of equipment, including tanks, anti-aircraft systems and ammunition.

But Zelenskyy’s aim of forming an international “fighter jet coalition” to supply Ukraine with planes has run up against NATO concern about escalating the alliance’s role in the war. Ukraine wants U.s.-made F-16s to supplement its Soviet-era jets, but Washington has resisted calls to send them.

“We want to create a jet coalition, and I am very positive about it,” Zelenskyy said Monday after meeting British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

But, he added: “We have to work a little bit more on it.”

MICHAEL PROBST/AP Pressing his case to European leaders in person shows Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (right) has growing confidence about traveling abroad.