Volodymyr Zelensky looks like a warrior, ready and able to defend hearth and home if we will only send him the weapons to do it. He well articulates , the meaning of the war for Europe and NATO, and what Ukraine needs to stop Russia鈥檚 imperialism.
First Lady Olena Zelenska, , brought the heart.
The international press, once gripped by Russia鈥檚 unprovoked invasion, is moving on from this war coverage. And Americans are beginning to grow weary of the financial cost and the seeming absence of strategic objective on the part of NATO. Zelenska鈥檚 delivery demands the attention of the Free World.
She brought the human side of this war. Standing in the Capitol, she listed the she personally knew who were targeted by Russia鈥檚 weapons. 鈥淏ut how can I talk about [peaceful affairs] when an is being waged against my country? ,鈥� Zelenska said.
She emphasized how thankful she was for Americans鈥� support for the war so far, and she asked for more weapons, specifically defenses. She said, 鈥淚鈥檓 asking for something now I would never want to ask,鈥� Zelenska said. 鈥淚鈥檓 asking for weapons, weapons that would not be used to wage a war on somebody else鈥檚 land, but to protect one鈥檚 home and the right to wake up alive in that home.鈥�
Offensive weapons are still necessary to and end this war. Make no mistake, Ukraine still needs The HIMARS missile system is showing off how more capable systems really can stop the Russian advance. Gen. Valery Zaluzhny, commander in chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, has praised the systems. According to him they have enabled Ukrainian forces to hit Russian ammunition and fuel storage depots.
But to decrease the carnage, to limit the damage to Ukrainian infrastructure, they need more defensive systems to intercept missiles. 鈥淚 am asking for air defense systems in order for rockets not to kill children in their strollers .鈥�.鈥�. and kill entire families.鈥�
Zelenska noted that since the beginning of the Russia鈥檚 war of aggression, Vladimir Putin has launched over 3,000 different cruise missiles against Ukraine.
US Support Essential
One last point about the first lady鈥檚 dignified plea: It should dispel the myth that the fact that Russia was unable to sack Kyiv in a day proves that 鈥淓urope can handle Europe鈥� if the United States simply backs out. US-made systems are the vast majority of the weapons Ukraine has and needs to defend itself and push Russia out. And it is American-led training of Ukrainian forces that have helped them so impressively perform so well in defense of their family and their nation. If the US helped Ukraine fight even more like NATO would, Ukraine might even be successful in pushing Russia out.
鈥淚 know that you, ladies and gentlemen, will be leaving for the traditional congressional recess in a week,鈥� Zelenska said. 鈥淎nd all of you will be able to return to your offices in the fall, and probably all of you have already your calendar and schedule for September. This is normal. And it is precisely this normalcy that we Ukrainians are deprived of now.鈥�
There will be no normal until Russia鈥檚 war ends. May Zelenska鈥檚 words not be in vain.
Read in "The New York Post
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