Zelenskiy Pushes for Long-Range Strikes at Ramstein

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy arrived at Ramstein Air Base in Germany and said he would push for "strong" decisions by Western allies to allow Kyiv to carry out long-range strikes into Russia and bring peace closer.

After Russia pummeled Ukraine with hundreds of drones and missiles in recent weeks, Kyiv repeated that it had an urgent need for greater air defense and long-range strike capacity to defend itself against Russia's 30-month-old full-scale invasion.

"We need to have these long-range capabilities not only on the territory of Ukraine but also on Russian territory, so that Russia is motivated to seek peace," he told a meeting of the Ramstein group of some 50 nations that supply arms to Kyiv.

“We have already started operating F-16s. Thank you for this support, Secretary, and to you, partners. They strike down missiles and drones, they are very efficient but they are few. You know that. We need a much stronger fleet of F-16s, and I have proposals that I will say when the press leaves,” Zelenskiy added.

It was the first time that Zelenskiy joined the gathering of defense ministers at the US air base Ramstein in western Germany.

Sat next to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who urged Western allies to allow Kyiv to use long-range weapons for strikes on Russian territory, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin pointed to the Kursk offensive as an example of how Ukraine was working to seize the battlefield initiative.

“It will surge in more capabilities to meet Ukraine’s evolving requirements. And we’ll deliver them at the speed of war,” Austin said.

Washington pledged another $250 million in weaponry for Kyiv at the US-hosted gathering of Ukraine's allies at Ramstein Air Base in Germany.