Zelenskyy asks US, NATO to help hit targets in Russia, stop missiles

[LAUREN TAYLOR]

UKRAINE PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY IS SEEKING AMERICAN HELP TO HIT TARGETS ON RUSSIAN SOIL.

UKRAINE WANTS THE U-S TO HELP IDENTIFY RUSSIAN TARGETS IT COULD STRIKE WITH ITS OWN ARSENAL.

ZELENSKYY AND HIS MILITARY ALSO WANT A GREEN LIGHT TO USE U-S-SUPPLIED WEAPONS TO HIT TARGETS INSIDE RUSSIA.

THE U-S AND INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS HAVE SO FAR BARRED UKRAINE FROM USING THEIR WEAPONS OUTSIDE OF UKRAINIAN BORDERS.

ZELENSKYY WANTS THAT TO CHANGE — AS DO SOME INTERNATIONAL AND FORMER U-S OFFICIALS.

ZELENSKYY SAYS HE IS NEGOTIATING WITH WESTERN ALLIES TO BRING ABOUT THE CHANGE.

OTHERS HAVE CALLED FOR THE FOREIGN WEAPONS RESTRICTIONS TO BE LIFTED AS WELL

INCLUDING THE LITHUANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER, WHO SAID:

“FROM THE BEGINNING WE HAVE MADE THE MISTAKE OF LIMITING UKRAINIANS BECAUSE IT COULD BE SEEN AS AN ESCALATION…. ONLY ONE SIDE HAS RULES IMPOSED ON IT. WE MUST ABANDON THESE RULES THAT WE CREATED.”

FORMER U-S UNDERSECRETARY FOR POLITICAL AFFAIRS, VICTORIA NULAND, ALSO SAID RUSSIAN TARGETS OUTSIDE KYIV’S BORDERS SHOULD BE “FAIR GAME.”

CONSIDERING RUSSIA ISN’T PLAYING BY THE SAME RULES.

THE PLEA FROM KYIV COMES AS RUSSIA CONTINUES TO MAKE MILITARY ADVANCES NEAR THE UKRAINIAN BORDER.

MONDAY, U-S TOP MILITARY LEADERS SAID PUTIN HAS OPENED “ANOTHER FRONT” IN THE KHARKIV REGION OF UKRAINE,” WHICH IS HOME TO THE COUNTRY’S SECOND LARGEST CITY.

DESPITE RUSSIAN GAINS, U-S DEFENSE SECRETARY LLOYD AUSTIN MAINTAINED AMERICAN WEAPONS SHOULD NOT BE USED BEYOND UKRAINIAN TERRITORY.

SHOWING U-S POLICY IS UNLIKELY TO CHANGE FOR NOW.

LAST MONTH, THE U-S PROVIDED ANOTHER 60 BILLION DOLLARS IN AID TO UKRAINE.

THE U-S MILITARY PACKAGE INCLUDED ARTILLERY AND MUNITIONS FOR AIR DEFENSE.

BUT ZELENSKYY IS SEEKING MORE FROM THE U-S– INCLUDING TWO NEW PATRIOT SYSTEMS FOR KHARKIV FROM THE U-S.

THE U-S SUPPLIED ONE BATTERY IN 2022– BUT THIS TIME ONLY SENT MUNITIONS FOR THE PATRIOT SYSTEM.

GERMANY HAS SAID IT WILL PROVIDE ONE– A MOVE PRAISED BY AUSTIN.

MILITARY EXPERTS WARN IF THE RUSSIAN OFFENSIVE RAMPS UP EVEN MORE– RUSSIAN FORCES COULD RETAKE KHARKIV. 

ZELENSKYY SAID HE’S STILL WAITING ON THE DELIVERY OF F-16 FIGHTER JETS FROM THE NETHERLANDS, DENMARK, BELGIUM AND NORWAY.

IN THE MEANTIME, HE SAID IF THEY COULD NOT DELIVER THE JETS RIGHT AWAY– NEIGHBORING NATO ALLIES  COULD USE THEIRS TO SHOOT DOWN RUSSIAN MISSILES.

WHILE MILITARY AID CONTINUES TO COME… HUMANITARIAN AID HAS FALLEN.

THE U-N REFUGEE AGENCY SAYS FOUR MILLION PEOPLE ARE DISPLACED IN UKRAINE AND FUNDING IS DOWN FROM THE SAME TIME LAST YEAR.

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