“We have been fighting for this for 730 days of our lives,” Zelensky said at the military airfield in Hostomel. “We will win on the best day of our lives.” The military airfield was captured by Russian units in the first days of the war, but they were later driven out by the Ukrainian army.
Russian President Vladimir Putin must “lose everything, like here in Hostomel,” said Zelensky, referring to the fighting over the airfield. He was accompanied by EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Croo and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who arrived in Ukraine in the morning on a solidarity visit.
Von der Leyen praised “the extraordinary resistance of the Ukrainian people.” The EU stands firmly on Kiev’s side. “Until the country is finally free,” emphasized the EU Commission President in the online service X. Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) explained on of the world”.
Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) declared that Germany would not allow “Putin to rob Ukraine of its homeland and freedom.” She urged the Kremlin chief to end the war: “Release the Ukrainian children. Withdraw your troops. End this war. Then there would be peace tomorrow.”
The Russian army invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022 on Putin’s orders. After more than a year of deadlocked fighting, Moscow is now going on the offensive again, especially in eastern Ukraine. Meanwhile, Ukrainian soldiers are increasingly suffering from a lack of ammunition.
Zelensky has repeatedly called for accelerated deliveries of ammunition and weapons from Western allies. US support is crucial for Kiev. In Washington, however, a new Ukraine aid package worth 60 billion dollars (around 55.7 billion euros) has been blocked for months by the opposition Republicans in Congress at the behest of former President Donald Trump, who wants to run for re-election in November .
Meanwhile, Kiev is receiving new military aid from Great Britain. London will provide the equivalent of 287 million euros to supply the Ukrainian army with “urgently needed artillery ammunition,” said the British Ministry of Defense. On Thursday, Great Britain confirmed the delivery of 200 more anti-tank missiles.
The British King Charles III. on Saturday praised the “determination and strength” of the Ukrainian people in the fight against the Russian invaders. “This is true bravery in the face of unspeakable aggression,” declared the monarch.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg also praised the “courage and determination” of the Ukrainians and once again offered the country the prospect of membership in the alliance. The situation on the battlefield is “still extremely serious,” said Stoltenberg.
According to the army, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said during a visit to troops in eastern Ukraine that the advantage was “on our side.” Russia recently gained significant territory by capturing the eastern Ukrainian city of Avdiivka, which had been bitterly fought over for months.
The sanctions imposed by the West against Moscow since the beginning of the war have not yet had the desired effect. Shortly before the second anniversary of the start of the war, the USA and the EU announced new punitive measures against Russia.
Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev responded with sharp attacks against the West. “We must remember this and take revenge on them wherever possible. They are our enemies,” the deputy chairman of the Russian Security Council wrote on the Telegram online service on Saturday.
A G7 video conference was planned for Saturday afternoon. At the virtual meeting of the group of states with Zelenskyj, tightening sanctions against Russia will be discussed. Solidarity rallies with Ukraine were also organized in numerous countries, including in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin.
