Russia is taking advantage of delays in international aid to Ukraine, and the situation in the areas where Moscow troops are concentrated is “extremely difficult,” President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday in a video message to his compatriots, in which he called for national unity. and solidarity with Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi said he visited the front line in the Kupyansk region, in the northeast, the territory that Ukraine won back in 2022, but where Russian troops have been active in recent months, News.ro notes. His visit came days after Russia gained control of the southern city of Avdiyivka after months of intense fighting, Moscow’s biggest front-line victory in nine months.

“Now the situation is extremely difficult in several sections of the front line, precisely where the Russian troops have concentrated the maximum reserves,” Zelenskyy said. “They are taking advantage of the delay in aid to Ukraine, and this is a very sensitive issue. Artillery is lacking, front-line air defense and long-range weapons are needed,” the Ukrainian president admitted.

At the same time, Zelensky expressed confidence that the US Congress will eventually approve a large package of foreign aid, including aid to Ukraine, which has been delayed due to disputes between Republican and Democratic politicians.

US President Joe Biden said on Monday that he is ready to meet with House Speaker Mike Johnson to discuss the funding bill, adding that Republicans are making a mistake by opposing the aid package. The U.S. Senate this month approved a $95 billion aid package that includes funds for Ukraine, but Johnson refused to put the package to a vote in the House of Representatives, which Republicans control by a 219-212 margin.

“We are working with our partners as much as possible to restore and expand support. I would also like to thank all Ukrainians, all our companies and our partners who have already established the production of weapons, projectiles, drones and electronic warfare – a new industry that is developing rapidly. Of course, we cannot meet all needs on our own, but every month adds strength and opportunities to Ukraine. I thank everyone who works for this,” Zelenskyy said before turning to national unity and solidarity.

“It is extremely important that everyone help as much as they can to certain parts, certain districts, individual soldiers and the whole country. Unity should be manifested not only in thoughts and words, but also in actions and necessarily in activities for the sake of common goals, for the sake of our entire state,” said the Kyiv leader.

Zelensky: “From Kupyansk, where enemy fire is constantly coming, the news from the border with Poland looks ridiculous”

Ukraine’s president blamed what he called a “situation that demonstrates the erosion of solidarity every day” and referred to protests by Polish farmers blocking the western border. He called for a “rational” solution, suggesting that there should be broader, European involvement.

“What is happening on our western border – the border with Poland – cannot be considered normal or ordinary. We need a simple and clear judgment. Only 5% of our agricultural exports cross the Polish border. So the situation is not really about grain, but rather about politics. And near Kupyansk, near the border with Russia, where enemy artillery is constantly firing, the news from the border with Poland seems mocking. We need common solutions, rational solutions, to get out of this situation. The decision is primarily ours and that of the Poles, as well as all those in Europe who are not indifferent to the fate of Europe,” the Ukrainian leader emphasized at the end of his video message on Monday evening.

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