President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi on Sunday from Berlin denied the attack on Russian territory after Saturday five Russian aircraft of the strike group were shot down. Moreover, his statement follows Information appeared in the American press that the Ukrainian president is planning attacks inside Russia. On the other hand, Zelenskyi’s assurances would be an attempt to appease Western allies and convince them to provide Kyiv with modern fighter jets.

Russia has often accused Ukraine of striking targets inside Russia, including blaming it for a drone attack on the Kremlin earlier this month. In addition, on Saturday, the Washington Post published an article about a leaked document from the US special services, which, based on intercepted data, showed that Zelensky proposed to attack and occupy Russian settlements on the border of Ukraine with Russia in order to have leverage. negotiations with the Kremlin.

Ukraine rejects these accusations, while emphasizing that it has the legal right to use force and other means to completely liberate its territories, which are now under Russian control. Among them are four regions in the south and east, as well as the Crimean peninsula annexed by Moscow in 2014.

“We are not attacking the territory of Russia. We are vacating our territory. We are not interested in attacking Russia. We do not have time for this, we do not have enough forces and additional weapons. We are focusing on our counteroffensive in accordance with international law, in accordance with our Constitution – liberation of only Ukrainian territory,” Zelenskyy said on Sunday.

Call for a coalition of aircraft in Germany

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi, while in Berlin on Sunday, asked Chancellor Olaf Scholz to support the efforts of several Kyiv allies to deliver fighter jets to repel the Russian invasion, while assuring that Ukraine will not attack Russian territory, AFP and BBC reported. on News.ro.

“We are currently working on creating a coalition for fighter jets,” Volodymyr Zelenskyi said. “I will ask Germany to support Ukraine in this coalition as well,” he added at a joint press conference with the Chancellor of Germany, given that Berlin has so far refused to supply planes directly to Ukraine.

“Ukraine is not attacking the territory of Russia,” the leader from Kyiv assured. “We don’t have the time or energy for it, and we don’t have the necessary weapons for it. We are preparing a counteroffensive to liberate the illegally conquered territories,” Zelenskyy explained.

This is the first trip of the Ukrainian president to Germany since the beginning of the conflict. Volodymyr Zelenskyi arrived in Berlin late Saturday night, stressing on Twitter that his visit will be dedicated to a “very important package” of arms supplies to his country, as well as the “reconstruction” of Ukraine.

The move comes amid preparations for the Ukrainian army’s spring offensive, with both Kyiv and Moscow claiming gains in and around Bakhmut, a city in eastern Donbas.

Olaf Scholz promised to support Ukraine “as much as it takes”, announcing that Berlin will provide Kyiv with weapons worth 2.7 billion euros. This package includes advanced German Leopard tanks and several anti-aircraft systems to protect Ukraine from almost daily Russian missile and drone attacks. President Zelensky noted that the new tranche of aid is “the largest since the beginning of Russian aggression”, in February 2022.

• Germany from hesitation to the largest supplier of military aid. Zelensky thanked Berlin for its support of Ukraine

The war changed Germany’s attitude towards Ukraine. From a reluctant supplier of military equipment, he practically doubled his contribution overnight, the BBC notes.

On Sunday, the Ukrainian president will travel to the city of Aachen, located in the west of Germany, to receive the prestigious Charlemagne Award, which is awarded for efforts aimed at promoting European unity. Previous recipients of this award include Winston Churchill, Pope Francis, Bill Clinton, and President Klaus Iohannis.

Security measures during Zelenskyi’s visit to Berlin

Adviser to the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, Anton Herashchenko, published a short video on Twitter about the security measures in place today in Germany during President Zelenskyi’s visit.

The short video shows closed streets, police cars and security forces.