Russia-Ukraine war: Kyiv in talks with allies over requests for long-range missiles

Over the weekend, fast-tracked talks took place between Ukraine and its allies over Kyiv’s requests for more long-range missiles. Ukraine said the long-range missiles would help prevent Russia from further bombarding Ukrainian cities.

A top aide to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Saturday that talks are taking place between Kyiv and its allies over the country’s requests for more long-range missiles that could help prevent Ukrainian cities from further bombardment as the war continues. This follows the recent pledges from the West to send battle tanks, and Kyiv is also seeking to obtain fighter jets.

“To drastically reduce the Russian army’s key weapon – the artillery they use today on the front lines – we need missiles that will destroy their depots,” said Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak on Ukraine’s Freedom television network. Podolyak cited the over 100 artillery warehouses in the Russian-annexed Crimean peninsula.

“Therefore, firstly, negotiations are already underway. Secondly, negotiations are proceeding at an accelerated pace,” said Podolyak, but did not disclose further details.

Separately, Zelenskyy said Ukraine wants to pre-empt Russian attacks on Ukrainian urban areas and civilians.

“Ukraine needs long-range missiles…to deprive the occupier of the opportunity to place its missile launchers somewhere far from the front line and destroy Ukrainian cities,” Zelenskyy said during his evening video address. Zelenskyy added that Ukraine needs the US-made ATACMS missile that has a range of 297 kilometers, which Washington has so far declined to provide.

On Sunday, Zelenskyy pushed for keeping Russia out of the upcoming Olympic Games that Paris is set to host in 2024. Zelenskyy said that allowing Russia to compete in the 2024 games would be an indication that “terror is somehow acceptable.”

Zelenskyy said he wrote to French President Emmanuel Macron in an effort to keep Russian athletes from competing in the Paris games. Zelenskyy cited the Ukrainian territories that have come under bombardment from Russian forces since the start of the war last year. Zelenskyy said that Russia must not be allowed to use the Olympics or any other international sporting event as “propaganda for its aggression or its state chauvinism.”

This follows the comments by the International Olympic Committee last week, saying that it welcomed proposals from the Olympic Council of Asia for athletes from Russia as well as Belarus to compete in the games.