Zelenskyy addresses EU leaders’ conscience: “Can’t go home without results” Family of murdered camerawoman sues Alec Baldwin

He had been in contact several times via video, now he was there in person: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj appeared before the EU parliament in Brussels on Thursday in field green trousers, a black sweater and with thick circles under his eyes. He was sure of a standing ovation. “Slava Ukraine!” – “Glory to Ukraine” the deputies shouted to him. Selenskyj took it with thanks.

And he had much to thank: with carefully chosen words he addressed directly the 450 million European citizens. After nearly a year of war, the 45-year-old wanted to express his appreciation for the support his people have received in recent months. “Jakuju!” – “Thank you!” said Zelenskyj over and over again in Ukrainian, a language Zelenskyj says will soon be spoken regularly in the House of the People’s Assembly of the EU after the successful accession to the EU.

At the same time, the war president also explained why Europe is anything but selfless when it continues to support Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin is waging an “all-out war” not only against Ukraine, but also against the European way of life itself, against democracy and the principle of open societies. It is now important to stand side by side in the “historic struggle” against the “most anti-European force in the modern world”.

Zelenskyj: «Have stopped the war. Now we also have to win »

What that means concretely, the 45-year-old explained a few blocks away in the circle of the 27 EU heads of state and government: “Artillery weapons, ammunition, modern tanks, long-range missiles, fighter jets” – Ukraine needs all of this now, and quickly. The Russians would ramp up their combat potential again.

The coming weeks and months are crucial. “We stopped the war. Now we have to win it too,” Zelenskyj conscientiously told the EU government leaders. When asked whether he had received concrete promises, as was the case the day before in London with the promise of new missiles and the prospect of fighter jets, Zelenskyj said, “I have no permission to go home without results to drive”.

Only: so far, such results are still pending. The meeting with Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Emmanuel Macron the night before was very “powerful and positive”. He is confident that Ukraine will receive even better equipment, including fighter jets. However, in arms deliveries it is crucial that one “is not afraid of Russia”, says Zelenskyj.

However, Prime Minister Mark Rutte admitted that this is still the case: “We must make sure at all costs that we do not end up in a direct confrontation between NATO and Russia”. And Chancellor Scholz also warned several times against an “outbidding competition” for arms deliveries.

Kaja Kallas, the Prime Minister of Estonia, certainly thinks otherwise. Your country has no combat aircraft of its own. But: “If we had them, we would make them available to Ukraine.” In general, she said of arms deliveries: “Every delay, every hesitation, the price just goes up. If we had already given everything we give today in January, we would have had a different result »(aargauerzeitung.ch)