- Zelenskyy calls for long-range missiles to hit targets in Russia.
- U.S. pledges $250 million in new military aid to Ukraine.
- Zelenskyy urges more support to push Russia to negotiate.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called on Western allies to permit Ukraine to use long-range missiles to strike targets within Russia, aiming to intensify pressure on Moscow to end the conflict.
At a meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group (UDCG) held at Germany’s Ramstein Air Base on Friday, Zelenskyy emphasized the need for such long-range capabilities, stating, “We require this capability not just within Ukraine but also on Russian territory to motivate Russia to pursue peace.
“We need to make Russian cities and soldiers consider whether they want peace or to continue under [Russian President Vladimir] Putin,” Zelenskyy said.
At the UDCG meeting, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced an additional $250 million in U.S. military aid to Ukraine. The UDCG, also known as the Ramstein group, has been convening representatives from about 50 countries that provide arms to Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Austin promised that the U.S. would increase its support to meet Ukraine’s evolving needs, stating, “We will deliver these capabilities at the speed of war.”
Zelenskyy’s attendance at the meeting, his first since its inception, was notable given the critical timing amid the ongoing conflict. This comes in the wake of a devastating Russian strike on Poltava, Ukraine, which resulted in 55 deaths and 300 injuries.
Moscow’s forces are making advances in the Donbas region, with President Putin declaring it as his “primary objective” in the conflict on Thursday.
In contrast, Ukraine’s unexpected offensive into Russia’s Kursk region last month took Russian forces by surprise. However, Putin downplayed the impact of the offensive, asserting it did not hinder Moscow’s progress.
Reporting from Berlin, Al Jazeera’s Dominic Kane noted that Zelenskyy conveyed the necessity for Ukraine to strike deeper into Russia to make Putin realize he cannot achieve his goals.
Zelenskyy expressed gratitude to the nations providing F-16 fighter jets and long-range missiles like Storm Shadow but emphasized that additional support is needed to compel Putin and the Russian government to enter negotiations.
It remains uncertain whether Zelenskyy will achieve his goals. Al Jazeera’s Dominic Kane reported that Defense Secretary Austin indicated the U.S. will offer substantial support but may not meet all of Zelenskyy’s requests.
Additionally, the German government has set “red lines” regarding the use of their weapons within deep Russian territory.
Since 2022, the Ramstein group has contributed approximately $106 billion in security assistance to Ukraine, with the U.S., Ukraine’s largest supporter, providing over $56 billion.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, speaking in Oslo, labeled China as a “decisive enabler” of Russia’s war against Ukraine and urged China to cease supporting Russia’s illegal conflict.
China has previously dismissed similar NATO statements as “malicious” and biased.
