Volodimir Zelensky expressed his emotional gratitude for Europe’s support for Ukraine in a speech delivered in person at the European Parliament. In his story, he has taken the opportunity to call his members to increase military support: “This war is not directed exclusively at one territory.”
The leaders of the European Union began this Thursday an extraordinary summit in Brussels in which the Ukrainian president, Volodimir Zelenski, participates for the first time, who 350 days after the start of the war with Russia arrives in the community capital after spending the eve by London and Paris. There he was received at the Brussels airport by Charles Michel, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and by the Belgian Prime Minister, Alexandre de Croo.
“We are extremely united, more than ever. It is important to increase our support for Ukraine with military means” and with “political support,” said the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, upon his arrival at the summit, who defined the meeting as “absolutely exceptional and unique”.
“Only victory can guarantee our European values.” In his speech before the European Parliament, the Ukrainian president has framed his country’s struggle as that of the entire Union, and has defended the European Union which he has called “our home”, but above all he has insisted on a “way of life” and values ​​that ensure that “Russia wants to destroy”. As he has done on previous occasions, Zelensky wanted to involve the Europeans by ensuring that Russia is going against all of Europe: “This total war launched by Russia is not directed exclusively at one territory,” he asserted. For this reason, he has affirmed that “the answer has to be no to this in Europe”.
In addition, Zelensky has claimed the Ukraine’s accession to the European Unioninsisting that ‘de facto’ the fight of the Ukrainian troops against the Russian Army is an example of the defense of the European model: “Europe will be Europe as long as we take care of it”.
Before that speech, the leaders of the European Union have been going before the media, in which they have given a joint message from a pledge of unity “until the end” to support Kyiv. In the statements prior to the European Council, the leaders have stressed the symbolism of the presence of the Ukrainian leader at the Summit of the Twenty-seven, an appointment that comes after having intervened electronically in the last six meetings of the heads of state and of EU government.
His speech has been disrupted on several occasions for the applause of the MEPs.
A message that the president of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, repeated in a speech prior to Zelenski’s: “We will be with you for as long as necessary.”
After the speech, Zelensky joined the leaders at the EU Council headquarters, in an extraordinary meeting of the heads of State and Government of the Twenty-seven in which they will talk mainly about the war in Ukraine, but also about immigration and industry competitiveness.
European tour to ask for more weapons
The meeting on Thursday is part of a European tour of the Ukrainian president, deployed with the intention of gathering more military support for his country to win Russia, which invaded Ukraine almost a year ago.
The tour began with an unannounced trip to London, where the Ukrainian president asked the United Kingdom to hand over fighter jets, a request that the British government is going to study. After that, the same Wednesday he went to Paris, where he was with the French president, Emmanuel Macron, and the German chancellor, Olaf Scholz. Already this Thursday, Macron stressed that “Russia cannot and should not win this war” and Scholz stressed that “it is very good to be able to once again send the message of unity, of solidarity and to be able to show again that we will continue to offer our support to Ukraine”.
The chancellor of Germany, who announced on Wednesday together with the Netherlands and Denmark the eShipment of 100 Leopard 1 heavy main battle tanks to Ukraine from now until 2024, however, it lowered expectations about an accelerated accession of Ukraine to the EU, the EFE agency points out.
The Franco-German dinner with Zelenski in Paris, on the other hand, did not please the Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloniwho has branded it as “untimely”, having a meeting at twenty-seven the following day in Brussels.
Source: Lasexta
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