Zelenskiy vows: “Our dreams cannot be destroyed,” and Europe promises support “for as long as necessary”

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Addressing world leaders gathered in Kiev on Saturday to mark the second anniversary of the invasion of Moscow, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy promised victory and vowed that Russia “will not be able to crush our dreams.”

Speaking from the destroyed remains of Hostomel airport, one of the sites of the first fighting near the capital, Ukraine’s president promised that the war would end with victory for his country.

Also present at the airfield were Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Croo, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

World leaders pledged unfettered support for Ukraine’s fight against Russia, and Prime Minister Trudeau said it was a fight not just for Ukraine’s freedom and sovereignty but for “our democracy.”

Zelenskiy said: “Every normal person wants this war to end, but none of us will allow Ukraine to end. That is why when it comes to ending the war, we always say ‘we “according to the terms of “, he adds. ”

“We are fighting for this, and we will win. You can burn a plane, but you can’t destroy a dream,” he added, standing in front of the charred carcass of the plane.

talk to independent personAndriy Yermak, the head of Zelensky’s office and his right-hand man, appealed to the world to support Ukraine in this mission.

“Give us the arms and ammunition we need,” he implored passionately. “You’ve been with us since the beginning, helping us stand up and defend.

“Now is the time to help deliver victory for everyone.”

Italy, which holds the rotating presidency of the Group of Seven (G7), announced on Saturday that the group would meet online with Zelenskyy and adopt a joint statement on Ukraine.

“Here, Ukrainians defended what they love, and in doing so they protected us,” Meloni said on the tarmac in Hostel, pledging support for his country. Von der Leyen reassured Kiev, saying Europe would continue to stand by Kiev “as long as necessary.”

“We need more financial support, more ammunition, more military training, more air defense and more investment,” she added.

Two years ago, the Kremlin launched a full-scale invasion, sparking Europe’s bloodiest war in generations. After a series of stunning victories, Ukraine has struggled in recent months to hold its grueling 1,000 km (620 miles) front amid devastating ammunition shortages and a lack of air power.

Tens of thousands of people have been killed, Russia still controls about a quarter of the country, and nearly 10 million Ukrainians have been forced to flee. Many also live in occupied territories, waiting for release or the return of loved ones held in Russian captivity.

Thousands of families of prisoners of war gathered in the center of Ukraine’s capital on Saturday to demand the immediate return of their loved ones.

Just last week, Kiev announced that Ukrainian forces had been forced to withdraw from the eastern town of Avdiivka, where they had been locked in heavy fighting with Russian forces for more than four months.

Said the angry and exhausted soldiers: independent person They blamed the retreat on Russia’s superior air power and artillery rationing, with Russian troops firing five times as many shells each day. Commanders said that in the last days Russian forces carpet-bombed Avdiivka with as many as 500 aerial shells, even though they were “unable to mount any counterattacks.”

Part of the problem is the relatively slow response from Europe, which has struggled to procure enough arms and ammunition to send to Kiev. Complicating matters is a domestic battle in the US Congress over a $60 billion military policy. The aid stagnation has raised concerns that US isolationism will increase in the run-up to the US presidential election in November. In Kiev, several British politicians, including former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, and a cross-party parliamentary delegation traveled to the capital to mark the anniversary. They said it was time for a “paradigm shift” and for Europe to “take action to protect itself”.

Speaking briefly with his ally and friend Mr Zelensky, Mr Johnson said the UK and its allies “need to do more and faster”.

He warned that Russia and the world’s “authoritarian states are coming together” and that “the time has come for democracies to defend themselves.”

he said independent person“One of the things we should consider is whether it is time for NATO to provide part of its allocated budget to the defense of Ukraine.”

“I believe the time is now.”

Alicia Kearns, a conservative lawmaker and chair of the Foreign Relations Committee, warned that Mr. Putin’s threat has been largely forgotten in the United States.

“Europe had to step up to defend itself,” she said, proposing a formal alliance between Britain, Germany, Poland and Ukraine to spearhead support for the war.

“I am very ashamed of what happened to Avdiivka. That was our failure,” she said, adding that “Europe’s alarm bells” had been sounded in a much belated manner regarding Ukraine. “We must act now because thousands of lives have been lost and the dictators on the march are being rewarded and we are seeing the consequences.”

Conservative MP Tobias Ellwood said. independent person He feared there was a lingering myth in the UK that “this is a war in Ukraine, not a war in Europe”.

“If we don’t defeat Russia, if we don’t support Ukraine, we’re going to pay a huge price in the long run compared to that. The penny isn’t falling. Putin isn’t stopping here. , we want to expand our influence.

“Let’s help Ukraine get the job done.”

Britain has pledged to invest £245m in the production of artillery for Ukraine and £8.5m in humanitarian funding as the conflict enters its third year.

Joining a chorus of support from world leaders, Rishi Sunak said on Saturday that “tyranny never wins” and that London would support Kiev “until tyranny triumphs”.

Labor leader Sir Keir Starmer, who is hoping to finish in 10th place after this year’s general election, said Britain would always support Ukraine “regardless of who is in power in this country”, adding that Mr Putin’s “Vulgarity and barbarism” will not continue, he added.