Zelenskiy appeals to EU leaders over long-range weapons

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BRUSSELS (Reuters) -President Volodymyr Zelenskiy urged European allies on Thursday to supply Ukraine with long-range weapons after failing to secure a promise from U.S. President Donald Trump to provide Kyiv with powerful Tomahawk missiles.

Zelenskiy, who addressed European Union leaders in Brussels, also called on them to agree as soon as possible on a plan to use frozen Russian assets and said Kyiv would use a “significant part” of any funds made available to buy European-made weapons.

“When we talk about long-range weapons for Ukraine, we mean that the Putin regime should feel real consequences from this war. I urge you to support everything that helps Ukraine get such capabilities — because it really makes a difference for Russia,” he said.

“Just look at how nervous (Russian President Vladimir) Putin became when this topic came up. He understands that long-range weapons can truly change the course of the war.”

Zelenskiy has been seeking Tomahawk missiles from the United States. Trump did not rule out providing Kyiv with such missiles during talks in Washington with Zelenskiy last week but appeared cool to the prospect.

“These long-range weapons are not only in the U.S. – some European countries also have them, including Tomahawks. We are already talking to the countries that can help,” Zelenskiy said.

EU leaders are meeting to discuss the plan to use frozen assets as the basis for a 140-billion-euro ($163-billion) “reparations loan” to Ukraine. Russia has challenged the legality of the idea.

Zelenskiy said the proposed mechanism was entirely “legal and fair”.

“It’s a model based on the idea of future reparations – holding the aggressor responsible for the damage caused,” he added.

(Reporting by Yuliia Dysa, Editing by Timothy Heritage)