In a speech to both chambers of the US Congress, Volodymyr Zelensky once again emphatically called for the establishment of a no-fly zone.
(Photo: dpa)
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New York In a speech to both chambers of the US Congress, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called for more military support from the West and new sanctions against Russia. He supported his cause with a shocking video showing the bombing of buildings as well as mass graves and dead children. At the end of the video is the message: “Close the skies over Ukraine.”
“The ending sums it up,” Zelensky said in English after the video, appealing to the US President to help Ukraine as a leader of the free world. He compared the invasion of Ukraine to the attack on Pearl Harbor that marked the US entry into World War II.
Ukraine has been calling for a “no-fly zone” to be set up over Ukraine for days. So far, however, the NATO countries have refused to intervene militarily because they are afraid that this could spread the conflict to other countries.
Zelensky thanked the US for the support it has already provided to the Ukrainian armed forces, including training soldiers and supplying weapons.
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Ukraine needs more support in the fight against the Russian military, including anti-aircraft systems and similar weapons, the president said. “You know how much on the battlefield depends on the ability to use aircraft,” he said. Selenski explicitly asked for the S-300 anti-aircraft system of Russian design. The NATO state Slovakia still has such systems.
Zelensky asks the US: “We need you now”
Meanwhile, the Bundeswehr began relocating the American-made Patriot anti-aircraft missile system to Slovakia on Wednesday. This could serve as a back-up should Slovakia cede its S-300 systems to Ukraine.
Demands for new sanctions from the West
But the West should also go further with the sanctions. It takes “constant new sanctions packages every week until the Russian military machine stops,” Zelensky demanded before the US senators and congressmen. There must be sanctions against “all” Russian politicians, MPs and senior officials who do not oppose the war, he said.
>> Read about this: Russia is revealing military shortcomings – which does not make Europe any safer
Speaking before both houses of Congress – the Senate and the House of Representatives – is a great honor in the United States. The speech ended with a standing ovation. The war in Ukraine is one of the few issues on which both Democrats and Republicans agree.
Since the beginning of last year, the US government has supported Ukraine with around 1.2 billion US dollars in military aid and arms supplies – including 550 million dollars since the beginning of the Russian war of aggression.
According to US media reports, Biden wanted to announce further military aid of 800 billion US dollars this Wednesday. Other countries, including Germany, have also supplied or promised arms to Ukraine, including anti-aircraft missiles and anti-tank guided missiles.
With material from dpa
More: You can read the current developments in the Ukraine war in our news blog
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