Long-range weapons can really change the course of war - President

The head of state noted: Russia wants Ukraine to enter the winter under blackout conditions, and destroys normal life in order to force people to flee the country. Today, a Russian drone killed two journalists in Donetsk region, yesterday in Kharkiv several Russian drones deliberately attacked a kindergarten, and the day before in Sumy - a street. The Russians shell energy facilities in the Chernihiv region almost every day.

"Such terror against our energy system is not just a local problem or just some distant conflict between two countries. This becomes an element of the possible appearance of future wars. Russia turns any destructive force into a tool of war - this is now part of their military tactics and doctrine," Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized. According to the President, the use of long-range weapons will make Vladimir Putin's regime feel the real consequences of war.

"I urge you to support everything that will help Ukraine get such opportunities, because it really has a significant impact on Russia. And this long-range weapon is not only available in the USA - it is also available in some European countries, including "tomahawks". We are already talking to countries that can help. And just look how, by the way, Putin got nervous when this topic was raised. He understands that long-range weapons can really change the course of the war," the Head of State said.

Volodymyr Zelenskyi also emphasized that it is important to make a decision on the use of frozen Russian assets as soon as possible. The proposed mechanism is completely legal and fair, because it is based on the idea of ​​future reparations. "We plan to use a significant part of these funds for the purchase of European weapons. This is important to me. And this money can help both you and us.

They can also be used now to strengthen us: to strengthen the air defense of Ukraine, the air fleet, and front-line positions. This means saving lives," the President said. The head of state added that he discussed the supply of Patriot systems with the US government and defense companies, but some countries are ahead of Ukraine on the waiting list. “We are proposing to reverse the order: if we receive the systems now, we are ready to return them or replace them when it is our turn.

Therefore, I ask you to be flexible regarding our needs in air defense - in times of war, saving lives should be the main priority," said Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The President also noted the importance of the PURL initiative. According to him, in October, it closed urgent needs, but not all the promised contributions have arrived yet. The head of state appealed to speed up this process and called on those countries that have not yet done so to join.

In addition, the SAFE program, to which about 20 European states have joined, can be just as effective. "But it will only work if it is clearly linked to this war, because it is this war that shows what really works and what doesn't. We are talking to everyone to make sure that SAFE has a clear focus on Ukraine. And when we talk about it, we, of course, first of all mean joint production," the President added.