Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited the NATO headquarters in Brussels on Wednesday to request military assistance from global defense leaders.
Zelensky traveled to the region to discover a Europe that was no longer completely focused on the war that Russia unleashed on his country. He argued there was no danger of Israel crowding Ukraine out of the limelight in international issues.
Zelensky Visits NATO HQ
The official also encouraged Western politicians to visit Israel amid its war with Hamas militants, replicating similar treks to Kyiv that many world leaders conducted in the past. In a statement, Zelensky said his recommendation was for global leaders to go to Israel because Unity is more important than being alone.
Furthermore, the Ukrainian president sought to tie the two conflicts together, saying that divisions in the global military alliance would only help the Kremlin. He argued that Russia is counting on such a situation, which is the division of support, as per Politico.
His remarks were made during an appearance with Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo, which followed him linking the two crises explicitly. He called both Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Hamas group "terrorists" that "seek to hold free and democratic nations as hostages."
In front of a crowd of NATO defense ministers, Zelensly claimed that Russia still has enough resources to incite conflicts and turn them into full-scale tragedies. He added that this includes the happening in the Sahel. He said that it could happen even more painfully in Israel and the Middle East.
The Ukrainian president's appearance in Brussels surprised many because the meeting was supposed to be at the ministerial level. The visit was made as Kyiv is desperate to shore up additional Western weapons and ammunition assistance. It faces a renewed Russian offensive in the east and the prospect of widespread attacks over the winter.
Requesting for More Military Assistance
Zelensky's visit to Brussels underscores the growing concerns regarding gaps in staunch international support for Kyiv in its war against Russia. There are also worries that Ukrainian forces have not made measurable progress in the counteroffensive as winter approaches, according to the Associated Press.
On the other hand, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin dismissed suggestions that American support for Kyiv could suffer amid efforts to send assistance to Israel. He noted that Washington will provide support to both Israel and Ukraine.
In a fortunate development for Zelensky, top NATO officials sought to reassure the Ukrainian president by pledging more than $2 billion in additional military aid that will be delivered before the winter season.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said, "Your fight is our fight, your security is our security, and your values are our values." He added that they will continue to stand behind Ukraine for as long as needed.
John Kirby, a White House National Security Council spokesman, also warned that the US is "running out of runway" regarding support for Israel and Ukraine. However, he noted that a diversion of weapons to Israel at Ukraine's expense is not expected because the two nations use different kinds of air defenses, said the New York Times.
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