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Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelensky addressed the European Parliament in Brussels. This Thursday, February 9, the president thanked the bloc for the help provided to his country to fight against the Russian invasion. In addition, he stressed that his country and Europe have a shared future and that defeating Moscow’s forces is also protecting the old continent.
The applause and recognition marked the third stop of Volodimir Zelensky’s tour in Europe. This Thursday, January 9, the president was in Brussels, Belgium, and addressed the European Parliament.
Zelensky began by thanking the bloc for the aid it has received since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began almost a year ago. At the same time, he assured that the struggle that is taking place on the soil of his country is also a battle to liberate Europe.
“Europe, we are defending ourselves against the greatest anti-European force in the modern world,” he said, adding: “We, the Ukrainians, on the battlefield, together with you.”
Soon after, Zelensky praised European values. According to him, he stressed, the citizens of the European Union are “lucky” to live in democracy, in countries where diversity, social justice and borders are respected.
Some ideals that, for the president, are common with Ukraine. “We all have a different story but we have one in common: we are Europeans,” Zelenski said.
Similarly, the leader assured that Ukraine and Europe share a common future. One that would be cut short by a Russian victory, a country that has been supplied with weapons by totalitarian countries like Iran, according to the president.
Zelensky was categorical. “Ukraine will belong to the European Union,” he assured. A statement that came after a positive evaluation of the changes that the block has been making.
On the other hand, the Ukrainian president thanked not only the European leaders, but also all the people who have supported his country. “Thank you for his brave actions,” he noted.
Zelenski, in search of more European weapons
London and Paris had already received the Ukrainian president. In the United Kingdom Zelensky met with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and former Prime Minister Boris Johnson. While in France he did it with President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. In both meetings he took the opportunity to demand more weapons.
Despite the fact that in his speech on Thursday Zelenski focused more on thanking the European support, the president also echoed his requests on Wednesday.
“I am grateful to everyone who is helping, grateful to everyone who understands how much Ukraine needs these possibilities right now. We need artillery guns, shells for them, modern tanks, long-range missiles, modern aircraft, ”he stated.
Zelensky’s demands come shortly after Germany gave the go-ahead for sending its Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine. However, according to the Ukrainian president, more weapons are needed, such as longer-range planes and rockets.
This Thursday, Josep Borrell, the High Representative for Foreign Affairs of the European Union, announced to journalists before the extraordinary summit that the 27 countries of the bloc would promise more military support for Ukraine, but did not give details.
Also before Zelensky’s address, the head of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, ruled that the member states of the European Union “have to quickly consider, as a next step, providing long-range systems and the aircraft you need to protect your freedom “.
But for now, everything indicates that Zelenski will leave Brussels without a specific offer from the bloc on this type of weapon. The Ukrainian president will have to wait for this Thursday’s promises to come true. A donation that Ukraine craves while a new Russian advance is predicted in the coming weeks, when the war is about to complete a year on Ukrainian soil.
With Reuters and EFE
