President Zelensky landed in Paris ahead of his meeting with the President of France and the Chancellor of Germany, February 9, 2023 (Reuters)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met tonight (Thursday) with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Schulz in Paris, hours after he met in London with British Prime Minister Rishi Sonak and King Charles.
During his visit to the two European capitals, he sought to enlist their support in the supply of weapons for his war against Russia, and won a British commitment to train Ukrainian pilots in advanced fighter jets of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). This, in preparation for the NATO summit that will be held today in Brussels, the capital of Belgium.
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"Opportunity to change the game".
From left to right: Zelensky, Macron and Schultz, tonight (Photo: Reuters, Sarah Meyssonnier)
Zelensky warned the leaders, "We have very little time. The weapons are needed for peace and to stop the war started by Russia," he said.
In his meeting with Macron and Schultz, he said that they have the opportunity to be 'game changers' in the war.
"The sooner we receive long-range missiles and our pilots receive modern aircraft, the faster this Russian aggression will end," explained the president of Ukraine.
After the conversation, the German Chancellor stated, "Ukraine belongs to the European family."
"We have very little time."
Zelensky in Paris, tonight (Photo: Reuters, Sarah Meyssonnier)
Speaking to British lawmakers in London, Zelensky emphasized his plea for fighter jets, which he called "wings for freedom."
Prime Minister Sonak said that "everything is on the table" when it comes to supplying aircraft to Ukraine.
"First of all, there needs to be pilots who are able to use the advanced planes. It's a process, and we started it today," added the British Prime Minister.
The Russian news agency TASS reported that the Russian embassy in Great Britain warned against sending planes to Ukraine.
"Such a step will have consequences for the entire world," she warned.
Zelensky's round of meetings in Europe came after his surprise visit to Washington.
On Thursday, he will reach the European Union summit in Brussels and address the leaders of the countries.
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Volodymyr Zelensky
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Emmanuel Macron
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Olaf Schulz
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