Russia-Ukraine war: 'More weapons we get, faster Ukraine can free its land', says Zelenskiy

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said that the more weapons Ukraine receives from the West, the faster it will be able to liberate its occupied land.

Photo credits: PTI

Russia-Ukraine war: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Thursday that Russia`s invasion amounted to aggression against all Europe and that the more weapons Ukraine receives from the West, the faster it will be able to liberate its occupied land. He told a news conference he had discussed the possibility of further sanctions against Russia and post-war reconstruction at talks in Kyiv with the leaders of France, Germany, Italy and Romania. Ukraine was grateful for the military delivery that helped it fight Russia's incursion on February 24 and that it expected to receive heavier armament, such as new rocket artillery and missile defence systems said Zelenskiy. 

"Every day of delay or postponed decisions is an opportunity for the Russian military to kill Ukrainians or destroy our cities," he said. "There is a direct correlation: the more powerful weapons we receive, the faster we can liberate our people, our land."

"Russian aggression against Ukraine is aggression against all of Europe, against all united Europe, against every one of us, against our values," he said.

Earlier, European leaders visiting Kyiv expressed support for making Ukraine a candidate for membership in the European Union, a show of solidarity that comes amid questions over their backing of President Volodymyr Zelensky and his calls for heavier weapons to offset Moscow’s artillery advantage.

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his government on Thursday to come up with new measures to support the domestic car industry, which has seen sales crater since Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine. "I would like to ask the government to tell us in detail what swift measures it is taking to support the auto industry and stabilise the internal market," Putin said in a meeting with government officials broadcast on state TV. Putin also said the government needed to look not only at production issues, but also at how to stimulate demand despite the economic difficulties facing the country.