Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky asked NATO on Sunday to send Ukraine “one percent” of the alliance’s tanks and aircraft and said his country has “already been waiting 31 days” for this much-needed equipment, The New York Times reported.
According to The Associated Press, Zelensky also criticized the West for what he described as its indecisive “ping-pong about who and how should hand over jets.”
Earlier this month, Poland offered to transfer 27 MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine via the American military. U.S. officials quickly rejected the plan, fearing that Poland’s proposal risked drawing NATO into a direct conflict with Russian forces.
“I’ve talked to the defenders of Mariupol today. I’m in constant contact with them,” Zelensky said. “If only those who have been thinking for 31 days on how to hand over dozens of jets and tanks had one percent of their courage.”
Last week, Zelensky described Russia’s bombardment of the encircled port city of Mariupol as “a terror that will be remembered for centuries to come.” Mariupol is strategically located between the Donbas, which is controlled by Russian-backed separatists, and the Crimean Peninsula, which Russia annexed in 2014, making the city a key objective for Russian forces.
According to a report, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday called on NATO allies to provide planes and tanks to Kyiv as it defends itself from Russia’s invasion, while also asking if members of the military alliance are afraid of Moscow.
Zelensky, in remarks after President Biden met with senior Ukrainian officials in Poland the day before, denounced the West for its “ping-pong about who and how should hand over jets and other defensive weapons to us,” The Associated Press reported.
“I’ve talked to the defenders of Mariupol today. I’m in constant contact with them. Their determination, heroism and firmness are astonishing,” Zelensky said in a video address, according to the AP, mentioning the seized Ukrainian city.
“If only those who have been thinking for 31 days on how to hand over dozens of jets and tanks had 1 percent of their courage,” he added.
Western allies have provided Ukraine with anti-tank missiles, anti-aircraft missiles, small arms and protective equipment, Reuters noted, but the military aid has not included fighter jets, which Kyiv has requested on a number of occasions. Earlier this month, the Pentagon said Poland’s proposal to transfer MiG-29 fighter jets to a U.S. air base in Germany so they could be sent to Ukraine was not “tenable.”
Zelensky, during his video remarks on Sunday, also asked who is responsible for the Euro-Atlantic community, before questioning if the West is afraid of Russia.
“So, who is in charge of the Euro-Atlantic community? Is it still Moscow, thanks to its scare tactics?” Zelensky said, according to the AP. “Our partners must step up their aid to Ukraine.”
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine entered its second month last week. The offensive began in late February after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a military operation in Ukraine.
The invasion, however, has stalled in a number of areas because of staunch opposition from Ukrainian forces.
