MUNICH: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged Western allies on Friday to quicken their military support for Ukraine, warning at a major international security conference that delays would play into Russia’s hand as the invasion approaches its first anniversary. “There is no alternative to speed, because it’s speed that life depends on,” Zelensky told the Munich Security Conference in Germany by video link. About 40 heads of state and government, as well as politicians and security experts from almost 100 countries, including the US, Europe and China, were due to attend the three-day gathering. For the first time in two decades, conference organisers did not invite Russian officials to Munich.
Zelensky said that it was “obvious” Ukraine would not be the last stop of President Putin’s invasion. He said that while the West was negotiating supplies of tanks to Kyiv, the Kremlin was thinking of ways to “strangle” the former Soviet republic of Moldova which lies west of Ukraine. “It’s obvious that Ukraine is not going to be his last stop. He’s going to continue his movement all the way . . . including all the other states that at some point in time were part of the Soviet bloc,” Zelensky said. He urged the West to maintain speedy weapons deliveries.
Ukraine’s partners though are hesitant about providing fighter jets. “Delay has always been and still is a mistake,” Zelensky said. He also compared his country’s fight against Russia to the biblical battle of David and Goliath, saying that Western weapons would be the key to defeating “the RussianGoliath. ” Zelenskyy acknowledged the real possibility of “fatigue” among Ukraine’s allies but stressed that the “united Davids” of the free world would prevail. “Being David is having that sling to win,” Zelensky said in a video message. “We do not yet have that sling. ” He said that was why weapons deliveries must be accelerated, telling the audience, “There is no alternative to speed. ”