Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that Ukraine hopes to receive some three million artillery shells from its allies this year, including 1.8 million from a Czech-led programme.
During a meeting with Czech president and former NATO general Petr Pavel, Zelenskyy also said discussions were underway for a Ukrainian-Czech training school for F16 fighter jet pilots.
“Obviously, for security reasons, we cannot open such a base in Ukraine at this time. Russian strikes continue every day and therefore we are working with our partners to ensure that such schools can be opened outside Ukraine and this will happen,” Zelenskyy explained.
During the meeting, he renewed his call for a 30-day pause in hostilities, as the US had initially proposed, and said he believed a ceasefire with Russia was possible.
“Today is the 54th day that Russia has ignored the American proposal for a complete ceasefire. We believe that a ceasefire is possible at anytime, even from today, and should last at least 30 days to give diplomacy a real chance. And I am grateful to the Czech Republic for supporting our position in this proposal,” Zelenskyy said.
His visit to the Czech capital comes amid Russia’s announcement of a 72-hour ceasefire next week to mark Victory Day in World War II.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping will pay an official visit to Russia from May 7–10, the Kremlin confirmed on Sunday, to discuss “further development of relations of comprehensive partnership and strategic interaction” and “issues on the international and regional agenda.”
Zelenskyy’s visit also follows comments made by Putin to state television that the need to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine had not arisen and that he hopes it will not.
In comments aired in a film by Russian state television on Sunday about his quarter of a century in power, Putin said Russia has the strength and the means to bring the conflict in Ukraine to a “logical conclusion.”
Video editor • Rory Elliott Armstrong
Read the full article here