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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy gestures during a press conference on the day of the Ukraine Southeastern Europe Summit in Tirana, Albania, on February 28, 2024. Photo by Floion Goga/Reuters
TIRANA, Albania (AP) – Amid growing signs of war fatigue, Ukraine’s president on Wednesday weighed in on Russia’s advances as he co-hosts a summit with the Albanian government to further boost support for Kiev among southeastern European countries. He begged for more ammunition to repel them.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said increasing supplies of weapons, especially ammunition, is paramount for Ukraine just over two years after Russia’s full-scale invasion. “I think this is a question of whether we will stand or not,” he said in his speech at the summit.
His impassioned appeal comes as the Russian military has taken the lead on Ukraine’s battlefields, amid worsening shortages of arms and soldiers in the Ukrainian military. Western analysts and observers say Russian forces are attacking strongly along four parallel axes in the northeast, pushing deeper into the Ukrainian-held western Donetsk region and pushing into the Kharkov region to its north. He says he aims to do so.
Earlier this month, Russia overwhelmed the Ukrainian military with large numbers of troops and superior air and artillery firepower, capturing the strategic eastern city of Avdiivka. Heavy fighting continues, with Russia forcing Kiev forces out of three more villages to the west of the city in recent days.
Zelenskiy arrived in Albania overnight to attend a summit of 11 countries in southeastern Europe, along with officials from the European Union and other international organizations. It was the last stop on an international trip to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday to promote peace plans and the repatriation of prisoners of war from Russia.
read more: President Zelenskiy welcomes Western leaders to Kiev as Ukraine marks two years since Russia’s invasion
President Zelenskiy sought to build solidarity between his country and the Western Balkans, saying they all deserve membership in the European Union or NATO if they wish.
“The European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) have provided Europe with the longest and most reliable era of security and economic development,” Zelenskiy said. “As we all become members of Europe and the Euro-Atlantic Community, They are equally valuable.”
Securing further support is key for Ukrainian leaders as the country faces challenges on the battlefield. President Zelensky announced on Sunday that 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed in action since the Russian invasion. This is the first time Kiev has confirmed the number of losses.
He once again acknowledged in Tirana that “problems with ammunition supply” were affecting the situation on the battlefield.
Russian tactics in Avdiivka include the use of dozens of glide bombs to destroy Ukrainian military positions in the city, and if Western aid helps supply air defense systems and long-range weapons. , raising concerns that the same techniques could be replicated elsewhere on the front line. The artillery won’t arrive soon enough.
A spokesman for the operational group overseeing the eastern front said Russian troops were moving toward Chasif Yar in the area around Bakhmut, which fell to Russia in May last year after the longest fighting since the start of the full-scale invasion. It is said that Ilya Evrash said on Tuesday that Russia was reinforcing its troops with attack forces using air raids, and heavy fighting continued on the outskirts of the city.
Meanwhile, further north on the front lines, Russian forces are advancing around Ryman and Kupiansk in the Kharkov region, which borders Russia.
Ukraine called on Western leaders to expand joint production of arms and ammunition, improve Ukraine’s air defense system and apply new pressure on Russia through expanded sanctions.
Not all countries participating in the meeting fully support Ukraine’s war against Russia. Serbia, a Kremlin ally, is the only European country to refuse to comply with EU sanctions in the wake of the Russian invasion. We continue to conclude cooperation agreements with Russia.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić insisted that the summit statement should not include calls for sanctions against Russia, nor should it include proposed language regarding Russia’s negative influence in the Balkans.
Albania, a NATO member since 2009 and a candidate for EU membership, has expressed full support for Kiev against Russian aggression. It has provided military aid to the Ukrainian military in the form of ammunition and training. It was one of the first countries to offer shelter to Ukrainian refugees. Joined international sanctions against Russian officials and institutions.
For the past two years, Albania has been a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, joining the United States in initiating resolutions against Russian aggression.
President Zelenskiy said all countries participating in the summit must remain vigilant about what Russian President Vladimir Putin will do next.
“The interactions between us, between our neighbors, between our regions, between all our partners, together with the resilience of the Ukrainian people, are the factors that will not allow President Putin to win,” Zelenskiy said.
Brann reported from Kiev, Ukraine. Associated Press writers Ilya Novikov in Kyiv and Yovana Goets in Belgrade, Serbia, contributed to this report.
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