President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday called for Ukraine’s Western partners to summon the political will to provide Kyiv with necessary military supplies or the world will face “one of the most shameful pages of history.”
Zelenskyy issued his appeal as a U.S. package to provide military and other assistance remains blocked by disagreements in Congress.
As the war passed the two-year mark last month, Russian forces have made some gains along the 1,000-kilometre (600-mile) front, though lines of engagements have changed little in months.
A clearly angry Zelenskyy, speaking in his nightly video address, said the world had to “react firmly” to ensure that the war becomes a “hopeless” enterprise for Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin, who wants only “war and death.”
“They must be made to feel to the maximum that there is a force that destroys those who destroy life. We can ensure that. Each of our partners knows what is necessary,” he said.
“The main thing is political will in order to realize this, to secure the level of supplies which will help,” he said.
“If this is not the case, it will become one of the most shameful pages of history, if America or Europe loses to Iranian ‘Shaheds’ (drones) or Russian fighter jets,” Ukraine, he said, was “waiting for supplies that are vitally necessary and we are waiting, in particular, for an American decision. Support is truly needed.”
Zelenskyy has become increasingly strident in his calls for the U.S. Congress to approve the aid.
The U.S. House of Representatives is under pressure to pass the US$95 billion national security package that bolsters aid for Ukraine and Israel as well as the Indo-Pacific.
That legislation cleared the Senate on a 70-29 vote last month but House Speaker Mike Johnson has resisted putting up the aid bill for a vote in the House.
