Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy warned European leaders on Thursday that Russia could rebuild its military capabilities and attack other countries within five years if the continent were to waver in its support for Kyiv.
Zelenskiy, attending a summit of the European Political Community in Spain, also said he remained confident of continued U.S. and European financial aid despite “political storms” in Washington and elsewhere.
In an emotional speech, Zelenskiy described how Ukrainian children in the eastern city of Kharkiv were learning remotely or attending classes in subway stations because of air raids.
“Until there is a fully effective air defence system, children cannot attend school,” he told the gathering in the city of Granada.
Underlining the horrors of war, a Russian attack on a village in the Kharkiv region on Thursday killed at least 51 people, including a six-year-old boy, Ukrainian officials said.
Zelenskiy said that by providing additional military equipment to Ukraine, European countries could help ensure that a “drone, tank, or any other Russian weapon will not strike anyone else in Europe”.
“We must not allow (Russian President Vladimir) Putin to destabilize any other parts of the world and our partners in order to ruin Europe’s power,” Zelenskiy said.
Source : Reuters