Zelenskyy presses allies to give Ukraine jets and tanks

Ukraine's president says country cannot repel Russia's attack without proper weaponry

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged western nations to give his country just a fraction of their tanks and planes to counter Russia's invasion, asking whether they were afraid of Moscow.

Several countries have promised to send anti-armour and anti-aircraft missiles as well as small arms but Mr Zelenskyy said Kyiv needed tanks, planes and anti-ship systems.

Ukraine needed just 1 per cent of Nato's aircraft and 1 per cent of its tanks and would not ask for more, he said.

A woman walks past a poster depicting Russian President Vladimir Putin holding his own body, as Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues, in Sofia, Bulgaria. Reuters

A man walks past a residential area destroyed by a rocket strike in Kyiv. Getty Images

Ukraine refugees wait in the train station in Przemysl, near the Polish-Ukrainian border. More than 3.8 million have fled Ukraine since Russia's invasion. AFP

Ukrainian civilians receive weapons training at a shooting range in Brno, Czech Republic. EPA

A Ukrainian special police officer patrols near a destroyed building during the night curfew in Kharkiv. AP Photo

A Ukrainian serviceman walks past the wreck of a Russian tank in Lukyanivka, Kyiv. Reuters

Ukrainian Air Force jets take part in a defence drill over an unidentified location. Reuters

Valentina Demura, 70, near the ruins of her home in apartment block in the besieged southern port city of Mariupol. Reuters

A message of support for Ukraine at the 94th Academy Awards in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California. Reuters

The widow of sergeant Kostiantyn Deriuhin stands at her husband's grave after his funeral at Lychakiv cemetery in Lviv, Ukraine. Reuters

A walk amid the ruins after a Russian attack in Byshiv on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine. AP

A soldier of the Ukrainian territorial defence forces gives a salute during a break in digging a foxhole at Kalynivka, on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine. AP

A bust adorned with a headband in the colours of the Ukraine flag at a checkpoint in Kyiv, Ukraine. AP

The Cheremosh Folk Song and Dance Ensemble performs in the streets of the Old Town in Lviv, Ukraine. Getty

Eugene Grigorash says goodbye to his wife Victoria Grigorash and their seven-month-old son Roman as their bus leaves Lviv on its way to Poland. Getty

People head for an air raid shelter after sirens sound across Lviv in Ukraine. Getty

A pro-Ukraine rally at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington. EPA

The aftermath of an air strike on the western Ukrainian city of Lviv. AFP

A protester weeps as she takes part in a 'mothers' march' for Ukraine, in New York. AFP

Local people share a basement of a historical building which is being used as a bomb shelter during an air raid warning in Lviv. EPA

US President Joe Biden kisses a child while meeting refugees of Russia's war with Ukraine at PGE Narodowy Stadium in Warsaw, Poland. AFP

A Ukrainian soldier stands guard at Independence Square in Kyiv. AFP

Municipal employees cover the city's monuments with sand bags to protect them from strikes in Kharkiv. AFP

Misha, 5, who lost his mother some weeks ago and got injured during a Russian strike, is helped by his grandfather to dress up in the basement of a hospital in Mykolaiv. AFP

Ukrainian refugees rest in the ticket hall of Przemysl Glowny train station. Reuters

A woman walks past destroyed houses in the village of Krasylivka outside Kyiv. Reuters

A man climbs up a ladder to examine his destroyed house in the village of Krasylivka outside Kyiv. Reuters

Damage inside an Orthodox Church building in Yasnohorodka, on the outskirts of Kyiv. AP

A Ukrainian soldier at a psychiatric hospital damaged by a Russian bombing, in Mykolaiv. AP

Displaced people from Dnipro arrive in Lviv, in western Ukraine. Millions are internally displaced. Getty Images

A destroyed school in Kharkiv. AFP

A Ukrainian fighter on the front line in the north Kyiv region. Reuters

A resident walks past blazing buildings and vehicles after a Russian artillery strike in Kharkiv. AFP

Black smoke billows from a fuel depot near Kyiv that was used by the Ukrainian Army before it was hit by during a Russian strike. AP

Masha, 26, checks her mobile phone at an air raid shelter inside a Kyiv metro station. Reuters

A market on fire in Kharkiv after a Russian attack. AP

People try to recover items from a shop set on fire during a Russian attack in Kharkiv. AP

Nastya Kuzyk, 20, who was injured in an attack on Chernihiv, is comforted by her mother Svitlana, 50, as she recovers in a Kyiv hospital. AP

“That is what our partners have, that is what is just gathering dust there. This is all for not only the freedom of Ukraine, but for the freedom of Europe,” he said in a late night video address after his defence and foreign ministers met US President Joe Biden in Warsaw on Saturday.

“As I was briefed, the talks touched on, in particular, these vital interests that I have mentioned earlier. It concerned what we really need, while this 'ping-pong' about who and how should hand over jets and other defensive weapons to us, continues,” he said, appearing visibly irritated.

“We've already been waiting 31 days. Who is in charge of the euro-Atlantic community? Is it really still Moscow, because of intimidation?” he said.

He said Ukraine could not defend itself against missiles without proper weapons and could not liberate the besieged city of Mariupol without tanks and combat jets.

“Ukraine can't shoot down Russian missiles with shotguns, machine guns, of which there are too many in the supplies. It's impossible to unblock Mariupol without a sufficient number of tanks, other armoured vehicles — and especially without jets,” he said.

“I've talked to the defenders of Mariupol today. I'm in constant contact with them. Their determination, heroism and firmness are astonishing. I'm thankful to every male and female defender. If only those who have been thinking for 31 days on how to hand over dozens of jets and tanks had 1 per cent of their courage.”

Mr Zelenskyy has repeatedly insisted that Russia will seek to expand further into Europe if Ukraine falls. Nato rejected his request for a no-fly zone over Ukraine on the grounds this could provoke a wider war.

Mr Zelenskyy spoke to Polish President Andrzej Duda and expressed disappointment that Russian-made fighter aircraft in Eastern Europe had not yet been transferred to Ukraine.

“The price of procrastination with planes is thousands of lives of Ukrainians,” Mr Zelenskyy's office quoted him as saying.

He said Poland and the US had both stated their readiness to make a decision on the planes.

Earlier this month, Washington rejected a surprise offer by Poland to transfer MiG-29 fighter jets to a US base in Germany to be used to replenish Ukraine's air force.