Zelensky urges West to target Russian airports to force peace
2:52 PM EDT, July 18, 2024
The President of Ukraine calls on Western countries to authorize attacks on Russian territory. Volodymyr Zelensky believes that all airports from which Russia launches attacks on his country need to be destroyed. He said this will force Vladimir Putin to engage in peace talks.
President Volodymyr Zelensky attended the session of the IV Summit of the European Political Community. During the inauguration on July 18 at 12:00 PM Eastern Time, he made his remarks, which were widely reported by Ukrainian media.
I appeal to all leaders who can contribute with the necessary courage. These steps (authorizing attacks on Russia – ed.) need to be taken. And I am primarily addressing the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Poland, and other friends – your courage can be decisive for peace – quoted Zelensky on the "RBC-Ukraine" portal.
According to him, military airports, from which Russian planes with bombs on Ukrainian cities, children, and Russian rocket launchers, must be destroyed.
This will not only eliminate some targets but also reduce Russia's ability to continue this war. Missiles and drones are not "carriers of state sovereignty," so there must be a collective will, a collective will, to shoot them down – stated the leader of Ukraine.
Zelensky talks about stopping Russia on the battlefield
The war in Ukraine continues. Russia still attacks using numerous missiles and bombs. According to President Zelensky, the effectiveness of strikes on Russia in the Kharkiv region is "more convincing than abstract considerations."
We stopped the Russian advance on Kharkiv. Period. Putin sacrificed tens of thousands of his citizens but achieved nothing substantial. This was possible due to the bravery of our fighters and the courage of our partners, who lifted restrictions on the use of Western weapons along our border. Did this lead to escalation? No. On the contrary, it blocked the attempt to expand the war. Did Putin have any response? No – Zelensky argued.
President Zelensky also added that the recent Russian attack on a children's oncology hospital proves the evil that drives Vladimir Putin.
We can steer this war towards its just conclusion with the power of our weapons and our diplomacy, and we should not fear these possibilities. The more effective our air defense is, the more helpless Putin will be. The fewer restrictions we have on using effective weapons, the more Russia will seek peace – quoted Zelensky on "RBC-Ukraine."