Thursday, December 19

Zelensky calls for unity between the US and the European Union to confront Russia

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By Deutsche Welle

Dec 19, 2024, 09:05 AM EST

The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, declared this Thursday upon his arrival at the European Council being held in Brussels that It counts on “unity between the United States and Europe” to continue resisting the Russian invasion.

Regarding an eventual withdrawal of aid from Washington, he explained that it would be “very difficult” to maintain support for kyiv without the contribution of Ukraine’s main military partner. “We have to count on unity again between the United States and Europe. It is very difficult to support Ukraine without American help and that is what we will discuss with President Trump when he is in the White House,” Zelensky told reporters flanked by European Council President António Costa.

Zelensky explained that among the issues on Ukraine that will be discussed in the Council will be the protection of the energy sector and in particular of Ukrainian power plants and the country’s gas deposits, which have been the target of recent Russian airstrikes.

European support for Ukraine’s own military production and the operation of that country’s schools in the midst of war are the other two issues on the agenda highlighted by Zelensky.

The Ukrainian president traveled to Brussels on Wednesday and met there with French President Emmanuel Macron and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. Zelensky will participate this Thursday in a European Council that will be partially dedicated to the war in Ukraine.

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