Ukraine wants peace but will not just surrender to Russia at any price, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Monday to mark the country’s independence day, while foreign leaders pledged support.
Flanked by British prime minister Andy Burnham and European Council president Antonio Costa, Zelenskiy praised the resilience of the Ukrainian people during more than four years of war with Russia.
“Ukraine absolutely wants peace, but it is not ready to simply surrender,” Zelenskiy said, warning that Russia would not halt its aggression even if Ukraine ceded to its demands for more territory in the country’s east.
Wearing a traditional Ukrainian embroidered shirt, Zelenskiy thanked several foreign leaders for travelling to Kyiv to show their continued backing, on the 35th anniversary of Ukraine’s break from the Soviet Union.
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Burnham, who took office last month, said his choice of Kyiv for his first foreign visit showed the importance he attached to assisting in Ukraine’s defence.
“We are with you in this struggle all the way, heart and soul,” Burnham said, promising to continue that support “despite Russia’s outrageous threats to my country”.
Britain announced on Monday it would allow Kyiv access to classified technology to start production of European Scalpp long-range cruise missiles in Ukraine, capable of carrying out strikes deep within Russia.
In response, the Kremlin said the use of classified British technology would “add fuel to the fire” of their worsening relations, after it warned London last week there would be “consequences” for supplying drones to Kyiv.
Burnham was scheduled to co-chair a virtual meeting of the “Coalition of the Willing” – a group of countries backing Ukraine – with French president Emmanuel Macron and German chancellor Friedrich Merz.
The leaders were expected to discuss Ukraine’s request for more air defence systems to stop Russian ballistic missiles pounding Ukrainian cities.
Zelenskiy said on Saturday that Ukraine’s war effort was complicated by a €23 billion defence funding gap this year. He also warned that Russia could escalate the conflict later this year by mobilising some 300,000 additional troops after parliamentary elections in September.
Paying tribute to Ukrainian people and soldiers, Zelenskiy called on allies to give it “everything” needed to stop the war. “We are not asking you to fight for us,” he said.
Hundreds of thousands of people have been killed, and swathes of Ukrainian territory have been laid waste, since Russia invaded on February 24th, 2022.
US-led peace talks to bring an end to the war fell apart earlier this year after Ukraine refused Russian demands to cede more territory. Fighting continues along a 1,200km front line and Ukraine has succeeded in bringing Russian advances overall to a virtual halt this year.
Hovering in the sky above Kyiv, a squadron of aerial drones carried out a demonstration of Ukrainian military technology, which has helped to keep Russian forces in check.
Naval drones swept along the Dnipro river, while unnamed ground vehicles – some equipped with heavy machine guns – trundled in formation along one of the city’s main commercial avenues.
While praising the achievements of Ukraine’s defence industry during the war, Zelenskiy called for an increase in cruise missile production to take the fight to Russia this winter.
Exploiting Ukraine’s shortage of anti-ballistic missiles, Russia has stepped up its campaign of air strikes at cities far from the front line this summer.
Ukraine has also increased its long-range attacks on Russian refineries and logistics infrastructure, aimed at undermining Moscow’s war effort.
It hit four logistics hubs owned by Russia’s second-largest online retailer Ozon in southern Russia in drone strikes on Monday, the company said.
In a sombre moment, the Ukrainian leader rewarded fallen soldiers with state awards, which he presented to their mothers and family members.
He also announced the return of 10 Ukrainian servicemen, who were previously listed as missing in action, as part of a special prisoner exchange with Russia.
“We remember each and every one who remains in captivity,” said Zelenskiy, promising to do everything possible to bring them home. – Reuters
