Ukraine's Zelenskiy tells France, Germany to provide 'game changing' weapons

AFP

France and Germany have the opportunity to be "game changers" in the war against Russia by not hesitating in delivering heavy weapons and modern fighter jets to Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said during a visit to Paris on Wednesday.

Zelenskiy arrived in the French capital for a dinner with leader Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz after holding talks in Britain earlier in the day where he urged his Western allies to give Ukraine "wings for freedom" by sending warplanes to help turn the tide against Moscow.

He travels to Brussels on Thursday where he will attend a European leaders summit.

"We have very little time. I'm talking now about the weapons needed for peace and to stop the war started by Russia," Zelenskiy said.

"France and Germany have the potential to be game changers and that's how I see our talks today. The sooner we get heavy long range weapons and our pilots get modern planes... the quicker this Russian aggression will end."

Western countries have scaled up their pledges of military aid for Ukraine this year with promises of hundreds of tanks and armoured vehicles as well as longer-range weapons, but have so far refused to deliver Western-made combat planes.

Macron said operational matters would be discussed during the dinner, reiterated that Russia could not be allowed to win the war and that Paris like Berlin would continue to support as long as necessary the military support Ukraine needed to secure its future.

Ahead of Thursday's meeting in Belgium, Scholz sought to stress Kyiv's position in Europe.

"I am taking a clear message to Brussels: Ukraine belongs to the European family," Scholz said.

More from International

  • UK inquiry finds 'chilling' cover-up of infected blood scandal

    An infected blood scandal in Britain was no accident but the fault of doctors and a succession of governments that led to 3,000 deaths and thousands more contracting hepatitis or HIV, a public inquiry has found.

  • Iranian President Raisi killed in helicopter accident, state media says

    Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, seen as a potential successor to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in a helicopter crash in mountainous terrain near the Azerbaijan border, officials and state media said on Monday.

  • ICC prosecutor seeks arrest warrants for Israeli, Hamas leaders

    The International Criminal Court prosecutor's office said on Monday it had requested arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his defence chief and three Hamas leaders for alleged war crimes.

  • Assange given permission to appeal against US extradition

    WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange was given permission to have a full appeal over his extradition to the United States after arguing at London's High Court on Monday he might not be able to rely on his right to free speech at a trial.

  • Israel intends to broaden Rafah sweep, Defence Minister tells US

    Israel intends to broaden its military operation in Rafah, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant on Monday told a senior aide to US President Joe Biden, who has warned against major action in the southern Gazan city that may risk mass civilian casualties. Israel describes Rafah, which abuts the Gaza Strip's border with the Egyptian Sinai, as the last stronghold of Hamas Islamists whose governing and combat capabilities it has been trying to dismantle during the more than seven-month-old war. After weeks of public disagreements with Washington over the Rafah planning, Israel on May 6 ordered Pale