President Volodymyr Zelenskiy says Ukraine has proven Russia’s army is stoppable as he made a shock go to to the Baltics to assist guarantee continued support to his nation amid a wave of huge Russian aerial barrages.
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Zelenskiy met along with his Lithuanian counterpart Gitanas Nauseda on January 10 to debate army support, coaching, and joint demining efforts throughout the beforehand unannounced journey, which may even take him to Estonia and Latvia.
“Now we have confirmed that Russia may be stopped, that deterrence is feasible,” he stated after talks with Nauseda on what’s the Ukrainian chief’s first overseas journey of 2024.
”As we speak, Gitanas Nauseda and I targeted on frontline developments. Weapons, tools, personnel coaching, and Lithuania’s management within the demining coalition are all sources of energy for us,” Zelenskiy later wrote on X, previously Twitter.
Lithuania has been a staunch ally of Ukraine for the reason that begin of Russia’s unprovoked full-scale invasion, which can attain the two-year mark in February.
Nauseda stated EU and NATO member Lithuania will proceed to supply army, political, and financial help to Ukraine, and pointed to the Baltic nation’s approval final month of a 200-million-euro ($219 million) long-term army support package deal for Ukraine.
Russia’s invasion has turned Ukraine into one of the vital mined international locations on the earth, producing one of many largest demining challenges for the reason that finish of World Warfare II.
”Lithuania is forming a demining coalition to mobilize army help for Ukraine as effectively and rapidly as potential,” Nauseda stated.
”The Western world should perceive that this isn’t simply the battle of Ukraine, it’s the battle of the entire of Europe and the democratic world for peace and freedom,” Nauseda stated.
Ukraine has pleaded with its allies to maintain supplying it with weapons amid indicators of donor fatigue in some international locations.
There may be continued disagreement between Democrats and Republicans within the U.S. Congress on persevering with army support for Kyiv, whereas a 50-billion-euro ($55 billion) support package deal from the European Union stays blocked because of a Hungarian veto.
However a NATO allies assembly in Brussels on January 10 made it clear that they may proceed to supply Ukraine with main army, financial, and humanitarian support. NATO allies have outlined plans to supply ”billions of euros of additional capabilities” in 2024 to Ukraine, the alliance stated in an announcement.
Zelensky warned throughout the information convention with Nauseda that delays in Western support to Kyiv would solely embolden Moscow.
”He (Russian President Vladimir Putin) just isn’t going to cease. He desires to occupy us fully,” Zelenskiy stated.
”And typically, the insecurity of companions concerning monetary and army support to Ukraine solely will increase Russia’s braveness and energy.”
For the reason that begin of the yr, Ukraine has been subjected to a number of huge waves of Russian missile and drone strikes which have prompted civilian deaths and materials harm.
Zelenskiy stated on January 10 that Ukraine badly wants superior air protection programs.
”In current days, Russia hit Ukraine with a complete of 500 units: we destroyed 70 p.c of them,” Zelenskiy stated. ”Air protection programs are the primary merchandise that we lack.”
In the meantime, in Ukraine, an all-out air raid alert was declared on the morning of January 10, with authorities instructing residents to take shelter because of an elevated hazard of Russian missile strikes.
”Missile-strike hazard all through the territory of Ukraine! [Russian] MiG-31Ks taking off from Savasleika airfield [in Russia’s Nizhny Novgorod region].
Do not ignore the air raid alert!’ the Ukrainian Air Power stated in its warning message on Telegram.
With reporting by AFP and Reuters