Zelensky pushes for promised weapons as Russia advances

RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany: Ukraine´s President Volodymyr Zelensky made a fresh appeal on Friday for more weapons to counter the threat from advancing Russian forces in the east of the country and Moscow´s devastating missile strikes.

He pressed his nation´s case to allies meeting at the US Ramstein Air Base in Germany, where Washington unveiled a new $250 million in military aid for Ukraine.

“We need more weapons to drive Russian forces off our land,” said Zelensky, who also met with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

The gathering came as Moscow´s forces advance in the Donbas region, Russian President Vladimir Putin having declared on Thursday that capturing the eastern area was his “primary objective” in the conflict. Zelensky urged Kyiv´s supporters to follow through on previous commitments. “The number of air defence systems that have not been delivered is significant,” he said.

And he again called for restrictions to be lifted on the use of long-range Western weapons.

“We need to have this long-range capability, not only on the occupied territory of Ukraine, but also on the Russian territory,” Zelensky said.

Asked about Zelensky´s appeal, US defence chief Lloyd Austin said: “I don´t believe that one specific capability is going to be decisive.

“It´s not just one thing, it´s a combination of capabilities and how you integrate those capabilities to achieve objectives,” said Austin.