Zelensky presents Boris Johnson with ‘shopping list’ of weapons to fight Putin’s forces
‘You should not fail to understand the danger of the consequences’: Russia’s latest threat to the West and its citizens as Moscow promises a ‘harsh response’ for supporting Ukraine and warns the EU against supplying weapons to Kyiv
Source said Zelensky has made ‘specific’ requests for ‘military hardware’Boris Johnson said weapons would be sent within coming ‘hours and days’ UK has already shipped 2,000 anti-tank weapons to Ukraine Comes after Russia said that those giving lethal aid will bear responsibilitySaid it would hit back against EU after bloc retaliated against Ukraine invasionEU closed off its airspace to all Russian planes and banned propaganda outlets
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Ukraine’s president has given Boris Johnson a ‘shopping list’ of weapons that are needed in the fight against Vladimir Putin’s forces, it was claimed last night.
A source told The Sun that Volodymyr Zelensky ‘made specific requests for military hardware during near daily phone calls, and we are working round the clock to get them into Ukraine.’
Boris Johnson responded by saying that the latest batch of weapons would be flown to Poland within ‘hours and days’ before being driven to Ukraine.
The PM will today fly to Poland to visit British troops manning Nato’s eastern border with Russia.
The UK has already shipped 2,000 Next Generation Light Anti-tank Weapons (NLAW) to Ukraine, whilst the U.S., Germany, and Belgium are among other countries that have sent or are set to send weapons.
It comes after Russia promised that it would hit back against the EU following its support of Ukraine and warned the West against supplying weapons.
A spokesman for the country’s foreign ministry said the steps the bloc has taken against it following its invasion of Ukraine, which include sanctions, will ‘not go unanswered’.
It also warned that ‘EU citizens and structures’ involved in sending weapons to Ukraine would be ‘responsible for any consequences’.
The threat followed the EU’s decision to close off its airspace to all Russian planes – which later saw Russian carrier Aeroflot suspend all flights to Europe – and ban Kremlin propaganda outlets Russia Today and Sputnik.
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said on Sunday that this was the first time the EU had done this for a country under attack.
EU defence ministers were today also set to discuss plans to send defensive weapons to Ukraine.
The bloc’s foreign affairs chief, Josep Borrell, said: ‘Half a billion euros [$560 million] will be devoted to providing defensive arms, high-calibre arms, and anti-tank [equipment] — all kinds of agreements in order to repel the aggression.
‘We have to coordinate what we are doing and what we can do additionally with these resources,’ he added.
Ukraine’s president has given Boris Johnson a ‘shopping list’ of weapons that are needed in the fight against Vladimir Putin’s forces, it was claimed last night. Above: A Ukrainian serviceman fires a British NLAW anti-tank weapon during an exercise in the Joint Forces Operation, in the Donetsk region, eastern Ukraine, Tuesday, February 15, 2022
Volodymyr Zelensky ‘made specific requests for military hardware during near daily phone calls, and we are working round the clock to get them into Ukraine’, a source said
Boris Johnson responded by saying that the latest batch of weapons would be flown to Poland within ‘hours and days’ before being driven to Ukraine
It comes after Russia promised that it would hit back against the EU following its support of Ukraine and warned the West against supplying weapons. Pictured: Vladimir Putin
According to CNN, Russia’s foreign ministry spokesman said: ‘EU citizens and structures involved in supplying lethal weapons and fuel and lubricants to the Armed Forces of Ukraine will be responsible for any consequences of such actions in the context of the ongoing special military operation.
‘They cannot fail to understand the degree of danger of the consequences,’ the Russian Foreign Ministry’s statement read.’
The statement went on to diminish the punishing sanctions regime imposed by Western nations and the EU.
The spokesman claimed the sanctions are ‘illegitimate under international law’ and intend to ‘inflict maximum damage on Russia’.
‘The actions of the European Union will not go unanswered,’ they added.
‘Russia will continue to ensure the realization of its vital national interests without regard to sanctions and their threats.
‘It is time for Western countries to understand that their undivided dominance in the global economy is long a thing of the past.’
Ms von der Leyen said last night: ‘We are shutting down the EU’s airspace for all Russian aircraft, including the private jets of oligarchs.
‘Second, in another unprecedented step, we will ban, in the EU, the Kremlin’s media machine.
‘The state-owned Russia Today and Sputnik, as well as their subsidiaries, will no longer be able to spread their lies to support Putin’s lies.’
Ms von der Leyen also gave her backing for Ukraine to join the European Union after the country’s president Volodymyr Zelensky pushed for accession.
A Russian tank is seen ablaze in the Ukrainian city of Sumy amid the ongoing fighting with Ukrainian troops
The threat came after the EU closed off its airspace to all Russian planes – which later saw Russian carrier Aeroflot suspend all flights to Europe – and banned Kremlin propaganda outlets Russia Today and Sputnik. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen (pictured) said on Sunday that this was the first time the EU had done this for a country under attack
Russia warned that ‘EU citizens and structures’ involved in sending weapons to Ukraine would be ‘responsible for any consequences’. Above: Soldiers from the breakaway republic of Lugansk
She told Euronews: ‘We have a process with Ukraine that is, for example, integrating the Ukrainian market into the single market. We have very close cooperation on the energy grid, for example.
‘So many topics where we work very closely together and indeed over time, they belong to us. They are one of us and we want them in.’
Ms von der Leyen also said trust in Putin is ‘completely broken and eroded’, as Brussels unveiled a new package of sanctions against Vladimir Putin’s regime.
On the back of her comments, Zelensky signed a request for Ukraine to join the EU ‘immediately’ as his country continued to face a Russian onslaught.
He called ‘for the immediate accession of Ukraine via a new special procedure’.
But Ms von der Leyen’s spokesman walked back from her earlier comments, saying she meant Europe ‘in general’ and there was already a process for joining the bloc.
This sentiment was reiterated by the president of the European Council, Charles Michel, who said there were already longstanding disagreements among EU countries on new members joining.
President Zelensky has signed a request for Ukraine to join the EU ‘immediately’ as troops withstand a fierce Russia onslaught but Brussels’ officials warn the process to join the block takes years
Eric Mamer, Ms Von der Leyen’s spokesman, said the EU chief meant that Ukraine ‘is a European country and we want them in, meaning Europe in general’.
‘She then also specified that there is a process (for joining the EU). And I think that this is the important point,’ he added.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmygal tweeted that ‘the time to put it down on paper has come. Ukraine is applying for EU membership under a special procedure.’
However no such fast-track procedure exists, officials said.
Joining the bloc can be a long and complex process that often requires major reforms to reach EU standards.
They also have to prove that their finances are heading in a direction that will allow them to adopt the euro.
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said that any bid for membership could take ‘a lot of years’.
The European Commission said that, in any case, it can only negotiate with hopeful candidate countries on the basis of a mandate from the EU’s 27 member states – something it has not received for Ukraine.
‘At the end of the day, this is a debate at the highest political level, for the (European) Council,’ where the member states take decisions, said a commission spokeswoman, Ana Pisonero.
President Zelensky, left, said: ‘Our goal is to be together with all Europeans and, most importantly, to be on an equal footing. I’m sure it’s fair. I’m sure it’s possible’. The president of the European Council, Charles Michel, right, said Kyiv would have to submit an official request to join before member states – which would have to greenlight membership unanimously – could come up with a position
A view of a car which was destroyed by recent shelling in Kyiv outskirts on Sunday as the EU appeared to reject Ukraine’s plea to be fastracked to EU membership
According to Mr Zelensky’s social media channel, the Ukrainian president signed the EU request on Monday
The president of the European Council, Charles Michel, told a group of journalists that there were already longstanding disagreements among EU countries on enlarging the bloc.
‘There are different opinions and sensitivities within the EU on enlargement,’ he told a group of journalists.
He said Kyiv would have to submit an official request to join before member states – which would have to greenlight membership unanimously – could come up with a position.
According to Mr Zelensky’s Telegram channel, the Ukrainian president signed such a request on Monday.
‘Our goal is to be together with all Europeans and, most importantly, to be on an equal footing,’ he said. ‘I’m sure it’s fair. I’m sure it’s possible.’
The European Union, created by six nations under a different name in 1957, has expanded in four waves over the past three decades. After Britain’s exit from the bloc in 2020, it counts 27 member states.
There are currently five countries that are candidates to join – Turkey, Serbia, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Albania – but their bids have been stuck in limbo for years.
The last country to join the EU was Croatia, which was admitted in 2013 – after nearly a decade of negotiations and reforms.
Countries that have so far sent military aid to Ukraine include Britain, Germany, the U.S., France and Belgium.
The UK has shipped 2,000 Next Generation Light Anti-tank Weapons (NLAW) to Ukraine, while the US last month sent a plane loaded with 300 Javelin missiles worth some $50million to Kyiv.
Other countries, including Turkey, the Czech Republic and Estonia have also followed suit.
Germany overruled its own lethal weapons transfer policy to send its military aid.
It will supply Ukraine with 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 Stinger surface-to-air missiles from its armed forces stocks, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Saturday.
‘The Russian invasion of Ukraine marks a turning point. It is our duty to do our best to support Ukraine in defending itself against Putin’s invading army,’ Scholz said on Twitter.
In addition, the German economy and climate ministry said Germany is allowing the Netherlands to ship 400 German-made anti-tank weapons to Ukraine.
Germany will also send 14 armoured vehicles and up to 10,000 tonnes of fuel to Ukraine.
Earlier on Saturday, the Dutch government said in a letter to parliament that it will supply 200 air defence rockets to Ukraine as quickly as possible.
The Netherlands will supply 200 Stinger air defence rockets to Ukraine as quickly as possible, the Dutch government said in a letter to parliament on Saturday.
Belgium has pledged 2,000 machine guns and 3,800 tons of fuel.
France has decided to send defensive military equipment to Ukraine to support the country against Russia’s invasion, a French army spokesman said on Saturday, adding that the issue of sending offensive arms was still under consideration.
