First lady's dramatic appeal: "We are in mortal danger"
Olena Zelenska, the First Lady of Ukraine, has reached out to the Western world, requesting support for her country. In an interview with the British station BBC, she shares, "If the world abandons us, we face death".
7:04 PM EST, December 10, 2023
In a candid conversation with the British broadcaster, Ukraine's President's wife, Olena Zelenska, implores Western countries not to ignore Ukraine's plight.
"We desperately need help. To be frank, we can’t afford to grow weary of this situation because if we do, we'll perish. And if the world grows tired, it'll leave us to meet our end", said Zelenska.
This exchange happened last Thursday, directly following the U.S. Senate's decision to block an aid package directed at Kyiv. The proposed aid amounted to 61 billion dollars.
Zelenska sure doesn't shy away from expressing her concern over what she perceives as a dwindling Western commitment toward the war in Ukraine. "It deeply hurts us", she declared.
U.S. President Joe Biden also expressed his concern, stating that the lack of decision on aid for Ukraine would be a "gift" for Vladimir Putin. He warned that history would harshly judge those who "turned their backs on freedom".
Concurring with this sentiment, the British Foreign Secretary, David Cameron, observed that without Western backing, Ukraine will not cope. "We must extend to their weapons, economic support, moral and diplomatic assistance, but primarily military support which can turn the tide", he emphasized.
Bulgaria takes a stand: Arms to be sent to Ukraine
Last Friday, the Bulgarian parliament overruled President Rumen Radev's veto on the resolution concerning the dispatch of 100 armored vehicles equipped with weapons to Ukraine. The Bulgarian parliament additionally decided to supply Ukraine with missiles and guns.
The aforementioned equipment, which belongs to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and was procured in the 1980s, hasn't been deployed for over 30 years.
The President of Bulgaria proposed that these could be potentially used for safeguarding borders from illegal immigrants, as well as for tackling fires during natural disasters. However, the majority in parliament rejected Radev's arguments.