Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has called on the West to allow his military to use long-range weapons to strike Russia, as US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin warned on Friday that no amount of weaponry can shift the conflict in favor of Ukraine.
During a regular meeting of Ukraine’s allies at the Ramstein U.S. Air Base in Germany, Zelenskiy once again requested Western countries to provide more long-range missiles and urged the lifting of restrictions on using these missiles to target Russian entities within Russia, such as air bases.
Austin stated that the US and its allies will continue to provide strong support to Ukraine in resisting Russian invasion, announcing an additional $250 million in security assistance.
However, Austin, in response to reporter inquiries, disagreed that allowing Ukraine to use Western weapons for deep strikes against Russia could change the course of the conflict.
He pointed out that Russia has moved aircraft capable of launching glide bombs against Ukraine to locations beyond the range of the US-provided Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS).
“No single capability will determine the outcome of this battle,” Austin told reporters at the end of the meeting.
He also mentioned that Ukraine has its own capabilities, such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), to target Russian entities beyond the range of the ATACM and UK-provided Storm Shadow missiles.
“Russia has many targets – it’s obviously a big country,” Austin said. “And Ukraine has many capabilities to address those targets, such as UAVs.”
In addition to increased assistance from the US, Germany pledged to provide Ukraine with an additional 12 howitzers, while Canada plans to deliver the remaining 80,840 small unarmed air-to-ground rockets and 1,300 warheads in the coming months.
This marks Zelenskiy’s first appearance at the regular meeting of Ukraine’s allies in Ramstein. The meeting comes at a crucial moment in the two-and-a-half-year-long conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
As Russian forces focus on seizing the logistics hub of Pokrovsk in eastern Ukraine, Ukrainian forces have launched an assault on Russia’s Kursk region.
Zelenskiy said, “We need this long-range capability, not only on occupied Ukrainian territory but also on Russian territory so that Russia will have the motivation to seek peace.” His remarks received support from countries including Baltic states Lithuania and Estonia.
At the time of the meeting of Ukraine’s allies in Germany, Americans are preparing for the November presidential election. Democratic vice-presidential candidate Kamala Harris has pledged support for Ukraine.
On Tuesday, US officials stated that an agreement was imminent for the US to provide Ukraine with long-range cruise missiles that can penetrate deep into Russian territory, but Ukraine would need to wait a few months as technical issues need to be resolved before delivery.
Former President Donald Trump, as the Republican candidate, has promised to resolve the Ukraine conflict immediately upon taking office. Republicans are skeptical about continuing to aid Ukraine.
At the meeting in Ramstein, Austin provided casualty figures for Russian forces in the conflict: an estimated over 350,000 Russian soldiers have been killed or wounded. He noted that Ukrainian forces have sunk, destroyed, or damaged 32 Russian Navy vessels, pushing Russia’s Black Sea Fleet further eastward.
Zelenskiy stated that approximately 6,000 Russian soldiers have been killed or injured in Ukraine’s offensive in the Kursk region.
“Today we control over 1,300 square kilometers of the Kursk region, including 100 settlements,” he said, most of which were abandoned by Russian forces.
However, Russia has been bombing Ukrainian cities with missiles and drones, launching one of the largest attacks since the invasion began in February 2022. Zelenskiy appealed to the West to provide more air support.
He said, “The amount of air defense systems not yet delivered is quite significant.”