Zelenskyy: West needs more courage in helping Ukraine fight
Source: AP
By YURAS KARMANAU
LVIV, Ukraine (AP) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused the West of lacking courage as his country fights to stave off Russias invasion, making an exasperated plea for fighter jets and tanks to sustain a defense in a conflict that has ground into a war of attrition.
Speaking after U.S. President Joe Biden met with senior Ukrainian officials in Poland on Saturday, Zelenskyy lashed out at the Wests ping-pong about who and how should hand over jets and other defensive weapons to us while Russian missile attacks kill and trap civilians.
Ive talked to the defenders of Mariupol today. Im in constant contact with them. Their determination, heroism and firmness are astonishing, Zelenskyy said in a video address early Sunday, referring to the besieged southern city that has suffered some of the wars greatest deprivations and horrors. If only those who have been thinking for 31 days on how to hand over dozens of jets and tanks had 1% of their courage.
Russias invasion of Ukraine, now in its 32nd day, has stalled in many areas, its aim to quickly encircle the capital, Kyiv, and force its surrender faltering in the face of staunch Ukrainian resistance bolstered by weapons from the U.S. and other Western allies.
Smoke rises the air in Lviv, western Ukraine, Saturday, March 26, 2022. With Russia continuing to strike and encircle urban populations, from Chernihiv and Kharkiv in the north to Mariupol in the south, Ukrainian authorities said Saturday that they cannot trust statements from the Russian military Friday suggesting that the Kremlin planned to concentrate its remaining strength on wresting the entirety of Ukraine's eastern Donbas region from Ukrainian control. (AP Photo/Nariman El-Mofty)
Read more: https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-zelenskyy-business-europe-moscow-e65957837aed8286cc866b1eb943ab97
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Joinfortmill
(14,238 posts)I have no doubt the U.S. and NATO are doing everything they can. And I sincerely hope they are doing much more than we are aware of. The bottom line is Putin needs to go - one way or the other.
mucifer
(23,373 posts)As he is they would have no where near the support they have now.
He knows what he is doing. Hes brilliant
oldsoftie
(12,410 posts)We & other countries should have started flooding them with the type weaponry needed to slaughter the Russians. They';ve done very well with what HAS been given but imagine if it would have gotten to them BEFORE the war
mucifer
(23,373 posts)probably the same as Russia's military, to what it is now. They have also been providing tons of intelligence. But, they could always do more. Everyone needs to do more.
Evolve Dammit
(16,632 posts)Tomconroy
(7,611 posts)lost all claim to being the leader of a free europe. Shame!
ms liberty
(8,478 posts)Cheezoholic
(1,967 posts)Just my opinion. Bidens speech in Poland was a fantastic rallying call for Democracy world wide. But I also saw it as much more, even more than trying to re-assure the European countries we're steadfast in this with you.
To that point, Europe has always looked at the US the way an adult would look at a 6 year old with an AK47 in their hands. The US is young and doesn't have the worldly experience of the adults in the room and has acted haphazardly in the past. Remember, the US stood by as Hitler brutally took the entire continent of Europe. We basically were doing what NATO is doing now for Ukraine, sending as much aid as possible but not going to get involved. It took a combination of Pearl Harbor and Churchill practically on his knees begging us to get us involved. Those memories dont go unheeded in Europe. Especially when the US elected a Putinite as president for 4 years and we are so divided come November the putinite party could come into power and lay waste to everything Joe and our country are promising right now. The US can't do this on our own, even if we wanted too. There has to be unity in the European countries about how far they and us are willing to take a risk.
Bigger point is, I think a lot of Preident Bidens speech was aimed directly at us, the people of this country. I think a lot of this trip and his statements and speeches over there are aimed directly at us. He is all to aware that autocracy is on our doorstep. As he said to that European reporter, thats why he decided to run. This man, while trying to re-assure Europe, while trying to tell Zelensky we're fucking trying without destroying the world young man, and trying to show us at home, everybody at the same time, enough is enough. these fuckers gotta go. But ALL OF US everywhere have to agree OPENLY to do the hard work and bear the cost, together as one.
HUAJIAO
(2,362 posts)marie999
(3,334 posts)Could it start WWIII? I don't know, but if he did I'd want to see NATO destroy his military in Ukraine. If this happens and NATO does not cross the border into Russia it might not turn into a nuclear war. If it starts WWIII I think it would happen anyway with Putin attacking the Baltic countries.
Martin68
(22,671 posts)should be provided.
Fiendish Thingy
(15,367 posts)How can anyone expect them to risk Putins nukes by fighting Russia directly when Putin invades the Baltics?
The piece of paper with Article Five written on it does not come with a guarantee of courage.
ColinC
(8,227 posts)Then he might get a couple jets.
Kashkakat v.2.0
(1,752 posts)the US has a long sorry history of using covert operations to oppress and subjugate people, so why cant we do it now for the good, to help some people who want democracy? That whole business with the Polish planes seemed really weird - like lets have a debate about it over worldwide media! I dont have any great knowledge of military strategizing but pretty sure you wouldnt want to be blabbing your intentions to the whole frikkin world! They were Russian-built planes and my understanding is that anything and everything can pretty much be obtained on the black market, so who's to say they didnt come from there?