Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy makes a speech on evaluation the 22nd day of the Russia-Ukraine war during virtually addressing in Kyiv, Ukraine on March 17, 2022.
Photo by Ukrainian Presidency / Handout/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
- President Zelenskyy asked if the West was scared of Russia amid “ping-pong” talks about weapon supply.
- Zelenskyy urged West to have one percent of the courage that Ukraine forces defending Mariupol have.
- He called on the US and the EU to provide fighter planes and tanks to Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy asked Western nations on Saturday if they were scared of Russia following “ping-pong” talks about providing weapons to Ukraine.
US President Joe Biden traveled to Poland last week to talk about international support for Ukraine with world leaders amid the war. On Saturday, Biden met with Ukraine officials to discuss assistance through weapon supply, according to Zelenskyy.
“So who runs the Euro-Atlantic community? Is it still Moscow because of intimidation?” Zelenskyy said in a late-night speech.
He said he was grateful for the Ukrainian forces defending the besieged city Mariupol and urged Western partners who have been thinking about supplying Ukraine with planes and tanks to have at least “a percentage of their courage.”
Zelenskyy said in the speech that “ping-pong” discussions on which country should supply Ukraine fighter jets and other weapons were still ongoing.
“Ukraine cannot shoot down Russian missiles using shotguns, machine guns,” Zelenskyy said, adding that the country has plentiful supplies.
The US and the EU know that it’s “impossible” to release Mariupol, in southern Ukraine, without a sufficient number of tanks and aircraft, Zelenskyy said.
“It is impossible to unblock Mariupol without a sufficient number of tanks, other armored vehicles, and, of course, aircraft. All defenders of Ukraine know that. All defenders of Mariupol know that. Thousands of people know that – citizens, civilians who are dying there in the blockade.
“This should be known as soon as possible by as many people on earth as possible so that everyone understands who and why was simply afraid to prevent this tragedy. Afraid to simply make a decision,” Zelenskyy said.
His speech came after several rockets hit the western Ukrainian city of Lviv on Saturday — just 45 miles away from Poland — during Biden’s visit in Warsaw.
“For God’s sake, this man cannot remain in power,” Biden said of Putin at the end of his speech from the Royal Castle in Warsaw.
The White House has since walked back the comments, saying that Biden’s remarks were not calling for regime change in Russia.
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