In Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy made a plea to his allies on Saturday to address the “artificial” shortage of weapons which he believes is strengthening Russian President Vladimir Putin’s forces on the battlefield.
During his speech at the Munich Security Conference in southern Germany, Zelenskiy expressed gratitude for the current support from Western countries but also emphasized the need for more assistance.
With Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine now in its third year and Ukrainian troops withdrawing from the eastern town of Avdiivka, Ukraine is facing a shortage of ammunition while the delivery of U.S. military aid has been delayed in Congress.
Zelenskiy highlighted the impact of the weapon shortage, stating that it allows Putin to adapt to the current intensity of the war and undermines joint resolve over time.
He also urged allies to take action, emphasizing that sending additional weapons and air defenses to Ukraine was essential at this critical time.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, speaking at the conference, evaded questions about providing long-range Taurus missiles to Kyiv.
Zelenskiy stressed the importance of having comparable artillery range to Russia’s, stating that if Ukraine’s range is 20 km but Russia’s is 40 km, then the answer is clear.
During the same conference, news of the death of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny in a Russian prison rocked the Munich Security Conference on Friday.
Zelenskiy condemned Putin, saying that it is impossible to see him as the legitimate leader of Russia after Navalny’s death, accusing Putin of killing whoever he wants, including opposition leaders and anyone he sees as a target.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov denounced the reaction of Western leaders as unacceptable and “absolutely rabid.”
(Reporting by Max Hunder; Writing by Maria Sheahan and Matthias Williams; Editing by Jan Harvey)
