NEW ZELENSKY PLEA FOR TANKS AND JETS

UKRAINE PRESIDENT APPEALS TO EU FOR RAPID RESPONSE OVER FEARED PUTIN OFFENSIVE | Speed up delivery of tanks and missiles, Zelensky tells the EU

- Nicholas Cecil

UKRAINE pleaded with the West today to speed up the delivery of battle tanks ahead of a new offensive expected to be launched by Vladimir Putin within weeks.

Volodymyr Zelensky was also urging European nations to supply more long-range missiles and artillery to force back Russian troops. After visiting Britain yesterday, where he stepped up the demand for fighter jets, Ukraine’s president flew to Paris to urge Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to boost their military support for Kyiv. Speaking at the European Parliament in Brussels this morning, Mr Zelensky told MEPs: “We are defending ourselves in the battlefield, we Ukrainians, together with you.”

He was then due to attend a meeting of the European Council where he was going to step up his plea for more powerful weapons and munitions supplies, according to a Ukrainian official. “We badly need as of now, as of yesterday, long-range artillery, all types of artillery ammunition,” he said.

“Battle tanks — the decision has been taken by several member states, but we have no tanks for now. This needs to be speeded up.”