Volodymyr Zelensky is losing patience with his allies. The Ukrainian president, this Thursday, October 3, highlighted the grievances he has been harboring for months against the West, accusing them of “dragging” deliveries of long-range missiles for his country.
“We will continue to convince our partners of the need to shoot down Russian missiles and drones,” declared Volodymyr Zelensky, during a meeting in kyiv alongside the new NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. “We are aware that this is a difficult decision” and that “they are not yet ready,” he added. “We need a sufficient quantity and quality of weapons, including long-range weapons, with which, in my opinion, our partners are already dragging,” the Ukrainian president said at a conference press.
“Shooting down Iranian missiles is no different from shooting down Russian missiles”
Volodymyr Zelensky cited the example of Israel, helped by its Western allies to intercept the Iranian missiles which struck it and recalled that Russia is using Shaded explosive drones of Iranian design to strike Ukraine.
“We see how, particularly in the Middle East, it is possible to protect human lives thanks to the unity of the allies,” noted the Ukrainian president. “Jointly shooting down Iranian missiles is no different from shooting down Russian missiles, shooting down Iranian Shaheds, which bind the Russian and Iranian regimes,” he said, calling for “more determination on the part” of Ukraine’s neighbors “to put an end to Russian terror”. Westerners are reluctant to use such means, for fear of an escalation with Moscow that could lead to direct conflict with Russia, a major nuclear power.
The new NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte arrived in kyiv this Thursday, barely two days after taking office, to once again assure Ukraine of Western support. This visit comes at a difficult time for kyiv, whose forces are in decline on the Eastern front, lacking men and weapons, and while more and more voices are being heard to push for negotiations, including included among kyiv’s allies.
Mark Rutte has been one of Ukraine’s most active supporters in Europe since the start of the Russian invasion in February 2022, and described as “Russophobic” by Moscow. He notably spearheaded efforts to equip kyiv with F-16 fighter jets, a decision described as “historic” by Volodymyr Zelensky during a trip to the Netherlands.