Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called on European Union countries to provide Ukraine with long-range weapons, Reuters reports, BTA reports.
The call was made during a meeting of the European Council in Brussels after Zelensky failed to obtain a promise from US President Donald Trump to supply “Tomahawk“ cruise missiles.
In his speech, the Ukrainian leader appealed to European partners to reach an agreement on the use of frozen Russian assets, emphasizing that a significant part of the funds will be directed to the purchase of weapons manufactured in Europe.
“When we talk about long-range weapons for Ukraine, we mean that the Putin regime must feel the real consequences of this war. "I urge you to support everything that will help Ukraine acquire such capabilities," Zelensky said.
He added that Moscow's reaction shows the importance of such weapons:
“You see how nervous Putin became when this was discussed. He understands perfectly well that long-range weapons can change the course of war.“
Zelensky noted that such systems are not only in the United States, but also some European countries have them, including Tomahawk missiles.
“We are already holding talks with those countries that can help us,“ he added.
Regarding his request to Washington, Zelensky expressed hope that the Trump administration would not rule out the possibility of future deliveries, although there is no official decision yet.
EU leaders are also discussing a proposal to use frozen Russian assets as the basis for a so-called “reparations loan“ worth 140 billion euros in support of Ukraine. Russia, for its part, has disputed the legality of the initiative, while Zelensky has described it as “completely legal and fair“.
“This is a model based on the idea of future reparations - a way for the aggressor to take responsibility for the destruction it has caused,“ the Ukrainian president stressed.