Zelensky renews his plea for U.S.-made long-range missiles amid push from senators for Biden to provide more as he acknowledges ‘slight disagreements’ over cluster munitions
- Zelensky issued the call during a press event in Vilnius
- France is providing its own long-range weaponry
- Washington has held back for fear it could lead to escalation
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Wednesday he will push President Biden to provide longer range missiles as it seeks to defend itself against relentless Russian missile attacks.
Zelensky made the plea during a press event in Vilnius as he spoke about trying to bring his country into the NATO alliance, after yesterday unloading on a joint statement that fails to provide a timeline for when it will be invited to join.
‘We do need long range weapons. This deficit remains and I will raise this issue,’ he said, raising yet another tension point at the NATO summit here. He spoke a day after French President Emmanuel Macron said his country would begin to provide crucial long-range missiles.
Ukraine is undertaking a counter-offensive, but has been regaining territory slower than some western advisors expected against dug-in Russian positions.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he plans to press for more long-range missiles to allow it to target
French president Emmanuel Macron said Paris would provide the SCALP surface-to-air missile system to strike targets further inside Russian-occupied territory.
‘We have decided to deliver new missiles allowing deep strikes to Ukraine,’ he said, without saying how many would be sent from its arsenal of just under 400.
That only ups the pressure on Washington to consider meeting the escalation from Paris, although the administration has exercised caution about providing weapons that could allow Ukraine to strike deep into Russian territory.
Washington has held off on approving the missiles with a range of up to 190 miles, amid concerns it could allow Ukraine to strike inside Russia and lead to escalation.
A group of senators from key defense committees who traveled to the summit told DailyMail.com they could get behind the administration providing longer-range ATACM missiles.
‘Well I have not seen what President Macron has proposed, but any additional weapons provided to Ukraine so they can win this war I think is a good thing,’ said Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.). ‘[I] certainly appreciate the French president’s willingness to deliver more weapons and better weapons.
Some senators traveling to Vilnius told DailyMail.com they want to provide long-range missiles to Ukraine
Zelensky also said Ukraine would use cluster munitions against Russian forces on territory they had occupied inside Ukraine
Russian Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu said ‘Russia has cluster bombs for all occasions,’ although it has already used them in its attack on Ukraine
Asked about any accompanying risks, he said: ‘I don’t believe that we are going to encourage Putin more than we already have, right? I mean, he’s already launched a war that is the largest we have in Europe since World War II. We need to give Ukraine the weapons to win.’
‘That’s good news for Ukraine,’ said Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), a senior member Armed Services Committee, when asked about the French move.
‘I think it’s helpful. I think the more we work together, and that’s the whole point of this NATO summit and our alliance is working together to cooperate on our shared security interests.’
But Sen. Angus King (I-Vt.) spoke to the balances inherent in any decision.
‘Clearly what the president is balancing is full throated support for Ukraine versus not provoking an escalation of the conflict. That’s a decision that has to be made on a case-by-case basis, weapon by weapon.’
He said it could prove to be more provocative and might feed into Russian President Vladimir Putin’s ‘paranoia.’
Zelensky also acknowledged ‘slight disagreements’ over cluster munitions Biden agreed to provide after an internal debate.
He pledged to limit their use, as he has done previously.
‘We are fighting only on our land. They are killing our people.’ He said his forces would use the munitions ‘only against military targets, only against the occupied territory of Ukraine. This is something that is under control. It is not going to be used anywhere else.’
Russia was accused at the start of the invasion of dropping masses of cluster bombs, and Ukraine collected mountains of exploded shells.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said in response to the Biden administration’s move that ‘Russia has cluster bombs for all occasions,’ threatening to use them even though Russia already has.
