Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, has asked for additional EU support for his country, which also includes jet-fighters.
Almost one year on from the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the war is uninterruptedly going on in that country and doesn’t show any sign of stopping. On the contrary.
The EU heads of state and governments, who convened for the special proceedings of the European Council, have agreed the following weeks will be decisive for the outcome of this war. And for that reason, the head of the Council, Charles Michel has called on the 27 member states to respond to Kyiv’s request for ammunitions, artillery guns, missiles, vehicles and defence systems.
However, the Europeans have so far shown reticence in pledging the fighter-jets that have been so insistently requested by Ukraine for fear of a war escalation with Moscow. In order to attach some weight to his plea for military support, the president of Ukraine himself has attended the special proceedings of the Brussels Council.
Volodymyr Zelensky: ʺTo Ukraine, Europe is home. And I have come here to defend my people’s way home. Ukrainians of all ages, of all political and religious convictions, of any social status and history, we all cherish and wish for us this common European way, the European way of life and the Ukrainian way of life. Somebody is trying to annihilate them through an all-out war. Why? Because after destroying Ukraine and its way of life, the aggressors are going to destroy the EU way of life, all the 27 ways of life in the European Union. And we must not allow something like this to happen. This all-out war Russia has been waging on us is not only a war for the territory on our side of Europe. No! We are talking here about a dictator with huge resources of Soviet weaponry and armament he gets from other dictatorial regimes, especially from Iran. And cynically and deliberately, the cynical Kremlin has been trying year after year to eliminate and destroy our European values.ʺ
Part of a group of European leaders, Romania’s president Klaus Iohannis, has reiterated during a meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky the importance of Europe’s support for Ukraine in all areas and the need for keeping pressure on Russia, including through additional sanctions.
Klaus Iohannis has also recalled the joint and multidimensional actions by Ukraine’s neighbour, Romania, not only at humanitarian and economic levels but also by increasing connectivity, by facilitating its grain exports and fostering the European aspirations of this country. According to a communiqué by the Presidential Administration in Bucharest, Klaus Iohannis has also mentioned Bucharest’s support for president Zelensky’s ‘peace formula’.
(Roxana Vasile, Radio Romania International)
