Kiev needs extra weapons, 2 billion CM of gas - Zelensky
In a video conference, President Volodymyr Zelensky asks the G7 leaders for more weapons and tells Russia it must leave the Ukrainian territories by Christmas.
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky
Ukraine is in need of "about two billion cubic meters" of additional gas to get through the winter season, President Volodymyr Zelensky told G7 nations during a video conference on Monday.
Zelensky also urged the G7 to send Ukraine more weapons, including "modern tanks" and "rocket artillery and more long-range missiles".
"Unfortunately, Russia still has the advantage in artillery and missiles. This is a fact. These capabilities of the occupying army are the ones to fuel the Kremlin's arrogance," he said.
"The terror against our power plants forced us to use more gas than expected. This is why we need additional support over this particular winter," he stressed.
Zelensky proposed to convene a special summit, which he called the Global Peace Formula Summit, "to determine how and when we can implement the points of the Ukrainian Peace Formula," which would maintain Ukraine's security.
He invited the G7 industrialized nations "as well as other conscientious countries" to show their "leadership in the implementation of the Peace Formula."
Zelensky also urged Russia "to take a concrete and meaningful step towards a diplomatic settlement" and to leave Ukrainian territory by Christmas.
"The one who brought the war upon us has to take it away."
Ukraine is requesting France's most modern tank, the Lecrerc
The Prime Minister of Ukraine, Denys Shmyhal, said on Monday that Kiev is requesting to purchase tanks that meet NATO standards, with specific emphasis on the French Leclerc tanks.
"We are asking for tanks ... according to NATO standards," he said in an interview with the French television channel LCI.
On December 10, the European Council announced on Saturday that it was approving a package of documents allowing the European Union to provide Ukraine with $18.9 billion of credit support in 2023.
Florian Philippot, the leader of the french far-right movement The Patriots, described on Saturday France's continuation in supplying weapons to Ukraine at a time when the French army lacks weapons as "total madness".
"Military stocks have generally disappeared...!" But we continue to send weapons and ammunition to Zelensky! Let's stop this total madness!" Philippot wrote on Twitter.
On Sunday, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in a statement that the bloc had run out of military stockpiles as it provided Ukraine with an overwhelming amount of military support.
