London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 03, 2025

Volodymyr Zelensky makes new plea for tanks and jets

Volodymyr Zelensky makes new plea for tanks and jets

Ukraine President appeals to EU for rapid response over feared Putin offensive

Ukraine pleaded with the West on Thursday to speed up the delivery of battle tanks ahead of a new offensive expected to be launched by Vladimir Putin within weeks.

Volodymyr Zelensky was also urging European nations to supply more long-range missiles and artillery to force back Russian troops. After visiting Britain on Wedesday, where he stepped up the demand for fighter jets, Ukraine’s president flew to Paris to urge Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to boost their military support for Kyiv. Speaking at the European Parliament in Brussels this morning, Mr Zelensky told MEPs: “We are defending ourselves in the battlefield, we Ukrainians, together with you.”

He was then due to attend a meeting of the European Council where he was going to step up his plea for more powerful weapons and munitions supplies, according to a Ukrainian official. “We badly need as of now, as of yesterday, long-range artillery, all types of artillery ammunition,” he said.


“Battle tanks — the decision has been taken by several member states, but we have no tanks for now. This needs to be speeded up.”

Britain has led the West in supplying main battle tanks to Ukraine, with Germany and other European nations then agreeing to send Leopard 2 tanks and the US the Abrams model. As Russia is stepping up its attacks in the east of the war-ravaged country, Ukrainian tank crews are being trained as quickly as possible in the UK to use Challenger II tanks, with 14 of them set to be sent to the battlefield.

Captain Sam Upward, head of tank training of Ukrainian armed forces in the UK, told LBC Radio: “They are absolutely obsessed with getting on the platform and learning everything that they can do, and milking every bit of knowledge out of our instructors.” Pressed on their determination to return to Ukraine to fight, he added: “They are absolutely obsessed with that, and working long hours. They just want to get these things back and defend their homeland.”

Lord Dannatt, former head of the British Army, predicted that a Russian offensive in coming weeks will “probably fail in a rather bloody fashion,” leaving Putin’s army vulnerable to a counter-offensive which could break its morale and lead to its defeat.

One Ukrainian official said Putin’s offensive could be launched within 10 days. Lord Dannatt told Talk TV: “We are going to see a fresh Russian offensive in the coming weeks and months, probably as winter eases in Ukraine.

“With the equipment that has already been provided to the Ukrainians and their own determination, that Russian offensive will, in all probability, fail and probably fail in a rather bloody fashion.

Ukrainian service members ride atop of a BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicle near a frontline in Donetsk region 

“That’s then the moment for the Ukrainians to mount a counter-offensive, to strike while the Russians in a sense are reeling from their own imminent defeat.” He added: “They will have to go with what they have got. It sounds as if from what we heard yesterday that British tanks will be available. Let’s hope that the Leopard 2s are also available to combine with the existing tanks, armoured infantry fighting vehicles, self-propelled artillery that the Ukrainians have either got or are being given to mount an effective counter-offensive in the spring.”

He added: “If they were able to do that with a sound operational plan, with their characteristic determination, and the weapons and ammunition we have got for them, there is every prospect that the very fragile morale of the Russian army will crack. When the morale of an army cracks, then that is tantamount to losing.”

Russian forces were reported to have significantly stepped up attacks in eastern Ukraine and were trying to break through Ukrainian defences near the town of Kreminna.

Serhiy Haidai, governor of the Luhansk region, said Ukraine’s military were holding their ground near Kreminna but they needed more weapons and ammunition to hold out.

“I can confirm that there has been a significant increase in attacks and shelling. And it is in the direction of Kreminna that they are trying to build on their success by pushing through our defenders’ defences,” he told Ukrainian television.

“So far they have had no significant success, our defence forces are holding firmly there.”

Kreminna, which is about 62 miles north-west of the regional capital Luhansk, had a population of about 18,000 before Russia’s invasion in February last year.

Breaking through Ukrainian lines near Kreminna would take Russian forces a step closer to the much larger city of Kramatorsk. “(We need) heavy equipment and artillery ammunition — then we will not only be able to maintain the defence, but also make a good counter-offensive operation,” Mr Haidai said.

Kyiv says Russian forces were trying to take full control of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions in Ukraine’s industrial Donbas region. Some Western military analysts say the new Russian offensive has already begun.

After major Ukrainian gains on the ground in the second half of last year, Russia has recovered momentum, sending tens of thousands of recently mobilised troops to the front.

Rishi Sunak announced yesterday that Britain is investigating if any of its fighter jets could be supplied to Kyiv, with Ukrainian pilots being trained in the UK on Nato-standard modern aircraft. However, military experts say that F-16 jets from other European nations including Poland and the Netherlands, or the US, may be more suitable to be supplied to Ukraine, rather than the British Typhoons and F-35s.

After spending the night in Paris where he had dinner with Mr Macron and Mr Scholz, Mr Zelensky boarded the French president’s plane for the short flight to Brussels.

Josep Borrell, who chairs EU summits, said the European bloc would promise more military support for Ukraine. At the meeting in Paris, Mr Macron and Mr Scholz also vowed continued support for Ukraine and heard Mr Zelensky’s pitch for advanced arms.

“France and Germany have the potential to be game changers and that’s how I see our talks today,” the Ukrainian president said.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Political Dispute Escalates Between Trump and Musk
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
US Senate Votes to Remove AI Regulation Moratorium from Domestic Policy Bill
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
Jury Deliberations in Diddy Trial Yield Partial Verdict in Serious Criminal Charges
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
King Charles Plans Significant Role for Prince Harry in Coronation
Two Chinese Nationals Arrested for Espionage Activities Against U.S. Navy
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
Trump Administration Considers Withdrawal of Funding for Hospitals Providing Gender Treatment to Minors
Texas Enacts Law Allowing Gold and Silver Transactions
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
OpenAI Secures Multimillion-Dollar AI Contracts with Pentagon, India, and Grab
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Elon Musk Critiques Senate Budget Proposal Over Job Losses and Strategic Risks
Los Angeles Riots ended with Federal Investigations into Funding
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Education Secretary Announces Overhaul of Complaints System Amid Rising Parental Grievances
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Trump Ends Trade Talks with Canada Over Digital Services Tax
UK Government Softens Welfare Reform Plans Amid Labour Party Rebellion
Labour Faces Rebellion Over Disability Benefit Reforms Ahead of Key Vote
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Host Lavish Wedding in Venice Amid Protests
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
North Korea to Open New Beach Resort to Boost Tourism Economy
UK Labour Party Faces Internal Tensions Over Welfare Reforms
Andrew Cuomo Hints at Potential November Comeback Amid Democratic Primary Results
Curtis Sliwa Champions His Vision for New York City Amid Rising Crime Concerns
Federal Reserve Proposes Changes to Capital Rule Affecting Major Banks
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Trump Escalates Criticism of Media Over Iran Strike Coverage
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
Big Four Accounting Firms Fined in Exam Cheating Scandal
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
Australia's Star Casino Secures $195 Million Rescue Package Amid Challenges
UK to Enhance Nuclear Capabilities with Acquisition of F-35A Fighter Jets
×