Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday that his country is preparing a retaliatory strike designed to liberate territories occupied by Russia, not to attack Russian territory. speaking during a press conference with
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin, Zelensky said that Ukraine aims to liberate territories within its internationally recognized borders.
The Washington Post cited previously undisclosed documents from a group of US intelligence leaks that say Zelensky has discussed possible use as bargaining chips in peace talks to end the war launched by Moscow in February 2022. Considered trying to capture territories in Russia. In opposition to Western governments who have insisted that the weapons provided by them should not be used to attack targets in Russia.
“We do not attack Russian territory”
When asked about the report, Zelensky said: “We do not attack Russian territory, we liberate our own legitimate territory.” According to an official interpreter, “We have neither the time nor the strength (to attack Russia).” “And we don’t even have spare weapons with which to do that.” “We are preparing to retaliate to the illegally occupied territories on the basis of our constitutionally defined legitimate borders, which are recognized internationally,” Zelensky said.
The territories occupied by Russia are the Crimean peninsula and parts of eastern Ukraine with a predominantly Russian-speaking population. The Ukrainian president is visiting allies in a search for more weapons to help defend his country from Russian aggression, and funding to rebuild what has been destroyed by more than a year of devastating conflict.
A Luftwaffe jet flew Zelensky from Rome to the German capital, where he met Pope Francis and Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni on Saturday.
It was his first visit to Berlin since the start of the war and came a day after the German government announced a new package of military aid for Ukraine worth more than 2.7 billion euros ($3 billion), which included tanks , anti-aircraft systems and ammunition were included. ,
Germany is now second in providing aid
Zelensky thanked Scholz for Germany’s political, financial and military support, adding that the country is now second only to the United States in providing aid to Ukraine – and joked that he wanted to make it the largest donor. working for. “German air defense systems, artillery, tanks and infantry fighting vehicles are saving the lives of Ukrainian people and bringing us closer to victory. Germany is a reliable ally! Together we are bringing peace closer!” he said at the meeting. Scholz said Berlin has so far given Kiev about 17 billion euros in bilateral aid and it can expect more in the future.
He said, “We will support you as long as it is needed.
Initially hesitant to provide Ukraine with lethal weapons, Germany has become one of the largest suppliers of weapons to Ukraine, including the Leopard 1 and 2 battle tanks and the sophisticated IRIS-T SLM air-defense system. Modern Western hardware is considered vital if Ukraine is to succeed in its planned counter-offensive against Russian troops.
Zelensky said one of the reasons for his latest visit to allied capitals was to create a “fighter jet alliance” that would provide Ukraine with the fighter aircraft needed to counter Russia’s air dominance.
Germany has said in the past that it does not have the F-16 jets that Ukraine needs and Scholz answered questions about a possible delivery of the aircraft by citing an anti-aircraft system provided by Berlin to Kiev.
(with inputs from AP)
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