Tom Balmforth wrote that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is urging the United States to allow Kyiv to attack military targets deep inside Russia. Representatives from Ukraine met with senior U.S. officials in Washington on Saturday.
Since 2022, Washington has given Ukraine more than $50 billion in military aid. However, the U.S. has restricted the use of these weapons to Ukraine and crossborder defensive operations.
Zelensky stated that guided aerial bombs caused casualties in Kharkiv and more attacks continued. He believes that striking Russian military airfields, bases, and logistics is the only way to prevent further attacks.
He regularly discusses this with partners, presenting arguments and trying to persuade them. Zelensky thinks that clearing the Ukrainian sky of Russian guided aerial bombs will pressure Russia to end the war and establish peace.
In his plea to the United States, Britain, France, and Germany, Zelensky emphasized the need for capabilities to protect Ukraine and its citizens. He requested permissions for long-range capabilities and missiles.
Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, who was in Washington with a delegation, explained that Ukraine needs the capabilities to protect its citizens from Russian aggression. He hopes that their message was received by U.S. officials.
Zelensky is expected to personally discuss his plan for victory with President Joe Biden next month. He will also attend United Nations General Assembly meetings in New York.
Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko discussed restoring Ukraine’s energy system and highlighted the impact of Russian air strikes on Ukraine’s power infrastructure.
In a statement, the presidential office mentioned that President’s chief of staff Andriy Yermak and Umerov briefed U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin about the situation on the battlefield. Yermak stressed the importance of receiving weapons from defense packages promptly.
Elaine Monaghan in Bloomington, Indiana, and Oleksandr Kozhukhar in Kyiv contributed to this report. The content was edited by Christina Fincher and Diane Craft.
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