Volodymyr Zelensky spoke of his fears that the Israel conflict could hit military aid to Ukraine, as hypocritical Putin demanded that women and children be spared following the Hamas attack on Israel.
Putin has caused carnage among civilians with his illegal invasion of Ukraine, soon to reach its 600th day, and has shown no regard for their fate in his relentless missile and kamikaze drone attacks.
Speaking about the conflict that could potentially affect arms supplied to Ukraine, Zelensky said today that ‘of course everyone is afraid, and I think Russia is also counting on that, to divide support’.
The Ukrainian president joined a meeting of more than 50 defense leaders from around the world for the first time to make a personal pitch for military aid, in the face of lagging political support in the US and new pressure on allies to sell weapons to send to reinforce. Israel’s war.
His words came as Hamas launched a fresh wave of rocket attacks on southern Israel this afternoon, including a child development center, as Gaza held its breath with Israel’s Defense Forces massing hundreds of thousands of troops on its border.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy speaks during a press conference with Belgium’s Prime Minister (not pictured), in Brussels on October 11, 2023
Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a plenary session at the 2023 Russian Energy Week international forum at the Manezh Central Exhibition Hall in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2023
Shocking images and videos from Israel’s southern city of Ashkelon reportedly showed the Child Development Wing of the Barzilai Medical Center taking a direct hit that left parts of the building in ruins.
The Israeli army said more than 1,200 people, including 155 soldiers, had been killed since Saturday’s incursion into Israel. In Gaza, the health ministry says more than 1,050 are dead and more than 5,100 injured.
Asked about concerns that Ukraine could get less military support because of the war in Israel, Zelensky said there was a “very understandable volume” that the US and Europe could provide.
He said he asked that question himself, adding that he doesn’t think anyone really knows, but that he still accepts American and European support.
Speaking about the Israel war when he entered NATO headquarters, Zelensky said that Ukrainians understand such tragedy.
But he was also quick to describe Ukraine’s ongoing need for air defense systems and long-range missiles ‘to push Russia out of our country’.
Ukraine is desperate for more weapons to help its troops retake ground from Russian forces before muddy weather sets in after making limited gains in its counteroffensive.
A view of rockets fired by Palestinians in Israel’s Ashkelon city as clashes continue between Israeli forces and Palestinian armed groups at various locations in Gaza on October 10, 2023 in Gaza City.
A fire flares up after a rocket launched from the Gaza Strip lands in Ashkelon, southern Israel on October 11, 2023
Israelis take cover against incoming rocket fire from the Gaza Strip in Ashkelon, southern Israel, Wednesday, October 11, 2023
Discussing the Middle East crisis in a keynote speech for Russian Energy Week in Moscow, Putin said men should be allowed to fight it out, but the brutality should not involve women, children and the elderly.
“We must strive to reduce civilian casualties or reduce them to a minimum to zero,” Putin said, referring to Israel and Palestine.
‘Women, children, the elderly.
‘If men decide to fight among themselves, let them fight among themselves.
‘Children, women, leave them alone. That goes for both sides.’
His words are likely to enrage the West, as the war has seen countless atrocities against civilians, including in Bucha, where civilians were killed and raped by troops accused of genocide.
As the invasion began, Olena Kurylo, 53, known as ‘the face of the Ukraine war’, was pictured with a bloodied face after a Russian missile attack on her home.
Two months later, Putin bombed Odessa with his strategic missile-carrying Tu-95s.
As a result, baby Kira was laid to rest with her mother Valeria Hlodan (27) and grandmother Liudmila Yavkina (53).
This month his forces carried out a ‘genocide’ attack on Hroza village that killed 53, many of them civilians.
During his speech, Putin said: ‘I don’t understand why the United States is pulling aircraft carrier groups to Israel, it makes the situation worse.’
He added that it is ‘unknown whether it will be possible to calm the situation between Israel and Palestine in the near future, but it could lead to big problems’.
Putin said the accusations against Iran of involvement in the worsening of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict are baseless.
An injured woman is seen as airstrike damages an apartment complex outside Kharkiv, Ukraine on February 24, 2022.
The hand of Iryna Filkina, a woman who residents say was killed by Russian army soldiers, is pictured as her body lies on the street, amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, in Bucha, Kyiv region, Ukraine April 2, 2022
President Volodymyr Zelensky (C) speaks to media in the town of Bucha, northwest of the Ukrainian capital Kyiv. – On March 31, 202, Russian forces withdrew from the commuter town northwest of the capital
He angled his support in the conflict against Israel.
“Initially, when the decision was made to create the state of Israel, at the same time a decision was made to create a second state,” he said.
‘Initially it was about the creation of two independent and sovereign states – Israel and Palestine…
“Israel, as you know, was created, but Palestine as an independent and sovereign state was never created.”
He blamed the West for this failure.