Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told allies on Saturday in his appearance at the Munich Security Conference that an "artificial deficit" of weapons for Ukraine in its war against Russia risks giving the Russians breathing space.
Zelenskyy said Ukrainian commanders had decided to retreat from the city of the besieged city of Avdiivka due to a "meat wave" of attacks by Russian troops.
"Ukrainians have proven that we can force Russia to retreat. We can get our land back, and [Russian President Vladimir] Putin can lose. And this has already happened more than once on the battlefield," Zelenskyy said.
"We know for sure, all of us, that with Patriots and Western air defense systems, any Russian missile can be shot down. The systems will unblock the sky and make it possible for our soldiers to move ahead ... If there are enough air defense systems in Ukraine, we will be able to bring home millions of Ukrainians, millions of our people, millions of our refugees," Zelenskyy added.
"Dear friends, unfortunately, keeping Ukraine in the artificial deficit of weapons, particularly in deficit of artillery and long-range capabilities, allows Putin to adapt to the current intensity of the war," Zelenskyy stated. "The self-weakening of democracy over time undermines our joint results. We're just waiting for weapons that we're short of. That's why our weapon today is our soldiers, our people."
In response to a question asking about inviting Donald Trump to Kyiv, Zelenskyy replied that he invited the former president publicly, but "it depends on his wishes."
He added, "If Mr. Trump will come, I am ready even to go with him to the front line."
Jeremy Frankel ✉
Jeremy Frankel is a Newsmax writer reporting on news and politics.
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