Zelensky: West 'dragging out' long-range missile supplies to Ukraine
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused the West of “dragging out” long-range missile supplies for Ukraine, as Kyiv says it is in desperate need of such weapons to hit targets inside Russia after receiving the green light from its Western allies.
The Ukrainian leader, hosting newly-elected NATO chief Mark Rutte in Kiev on Thursday, said long-range missiles are crucial to deterring Russia from what he called striking targets in Ukraine.
“We need sufficient quantity and quality of weapons, including long-range weapons, that, in my opinion, our partners are already dragging out,” Zelensky said at a joint press conference with Rutte, the former Dutch prime minister.
“We will continue to convince our partners of the need to shoot down Russian missiles and drones. We realize that this is a difficult decision ... they are not ready yet,” he said, adding he believed that Ukraine's supporters were “prolonging the process” to deliver such missiles.
Zelensky saidt he and Rutte had discussed aspects of Ukraine’s “victory plan,” ahead of a NATO meeting at the Ramstein Air Base in Germany next week.
Rutte said he chose Kiev as his first trip “to make crystal clear to you, to the people of Ukraine and to everyone watching, that NATO stands with Ukraine.”
“It is my priority and my privilege to take this support forward...working with you to ensure that Ukraine prevails,” the NATO chief added.
Kiev says Russia continues to target various locations in Ukraine with missiles and glide bombs, complaining that being barred from striking the bases from which these attacks originate feels like fighting the war with one arm tied behind their back.
Zelensky has repeatedly announced that while he is grateful to the West for their military support, the volume of the aid and the speed of delivery is unacceptable.
Last month, the Ukrainian president said the United States and Britain had not given authorization to Kiev to use Western-supplied long-range missiles on targets inside Russia.
It appears that a U-turn has taken place in the policies of Washington and London, as earlier reports indicated that they had secretly approved Ukraine's use of long-range missiles against military targets within Russia.
Russia launched its special military operation in Donbas on February 24, 2022. Since then, Western countries have been supplying the former Soviet republic with military equipment, turning the conflict into a full-fledged war, despite repeated warnings by the Kremlin that such a policy would only prolong the war.
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