The situation at a glance: Selenskyj wants strong weapons – USA: Doing everything for victory

At a meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Kiev, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky once again called for the release of Western long-range weapons. “It is important that the Ukrainian arguments are heard,” Zelensky said after talks with Blinken and British Foreign Secretary David Lammy. Ukraine has been demanding for months that its Western allies lift the current restrictions on long-range weapons. Kiev then wants to use the missiles to destroy military targets in the Russian hinterland.

Blinken initially did not publicly address the question of whether the US would lift the restrictions on weapons. But he announced that the US would do everything for a victory for Ukraine and for a “just and lasting peace” in the Russian war of aggression. “We want Ukraine to win,” Blinken said at a press conference with Lammy. He indicated that the question of permission for Ukraine to use long-range weapons will be discussed at a meeting between British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and US President Joe Biden in Washington on Friday.

Zelensky had already announced at the end of August that he wanted to present his victory plan to Biden in September. Zelensky could combine this with a visit to the UN General Assembly in New York.

“We remain committed to the Ukrainian victory,” said Blinken. The message to Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin is clear that aid will not diminish. Blinken announced new US aid totaling more than 700 million US dollars (more than 636 million euros). 325 million US dollars would be made available for the repair of energy infrastructure and power plants, as well as 290 million US dollars in humanitarian aid for drinking water and medicine, and 102 million US dollars for mine clearance.

Tehran and Moscow deny providing Iranian missiles

During their appearance, Blinken and Lammy also criticized Iran for providing Russia with short-range ballistic missiles for the war. Iran denies this. The two foreign ministers warned of a dangerous escalation in the war. The missiles would further increase Russian aggression against Ukraine, said Blinken. In view of the alleged delivery of Iranian missiles to Russia, Ukraine demanded that the West also lift its restrictions on the long-range weapons in return.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied that Russia had received missiles from Iran. The accusations were completely unfounded because the Russian armed forces themselves had a full arsenal with all the weapons necessary to continue the war against Ukraine. At the same time, Peskov made it clear that Russia was already assuming that the weapons would be released for the Ukrainian attacks.

“Most likely, all these decisions have already been made,” he said in view of Blinken and Lammy’s visit to Kyiv. Peskov said that the public is currently only being prepared for this decision. According to him, this will entangle the West even more deeply in the conflict. He announced a corresponding reaction from Moscow. He did not provide any details. Moscow repeatedly stresses that the West’s arms deliveries to Ukraine are also a main reason for the continuation of the war.

Selenskyj speaks about planned peace summit

After the conversation with Blinken and Lammy, Zelensky once again asked for support for the troops on the front lines and for Ukraine’s overall strategy to achieve a just peace. The talks also covered a second peace summit and the steps needed to make the meeting effective. At a first summit in Switzerland in June, Russia’s participation was not desired. There is talk that Russia could be invited to the next summit.

The leadership in Moscow has always stressed that peace cannot be negotiated without Russia’s involvement. At the same time, Moscow has stressed that it will not allow Ukraine or the West to dictate the conditions for peace. Russia recently captured several towns, particularly in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk. Observers therefore assume that Moscow has no real interest in negotiations.

Selenskyj again rejects territorial cessions

Blinken and Lammy traveled to Kyiv for the summit of the so-called Crimean Platform. At the meeting, President Zelensky once again ruled out the cession of the Russian-annexed Crimean peninsula. “Ukraine does not trade its land and does not abandon its people,” Zelensky stressed at the meeting. This is part of Ukraine’s morality. He called on those present to help bring back Ukrainians held in Russian captivity.

In particular, the head of state highlighted the Muslim minority of Crimean Tatars as a group in Crimea that is particularly persecuted by the Russian authorities. Zelenskyj appealed to the predominantly Muslim neighboring states of Turkey and Azerbaijan to put pressure on Russia.

According to Zelensky, there were more than 60 summit participants. Among those present were Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic and Latvian Prime Minister Evika Silina. However, the majority of speakers limited themselves to video messages, including German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens).

Erdogan demands return of Crimea to Ukraine

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is calling for the return of Crimea to Ukraine. “Our support for the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine is unwavering. The return of Crimea to Ukraine is a requirement of international law,” he said in a video message.

Russia annexed the Ukrainian Black Sea peninsula of Crimea in 2014. Since 2021, Kyiv has been trying to raise international awareness of the situation on the peninsula with meetings of the so-called Crimean Platform. In 2022, the Kremlin launched a major attack on Ukraine. Almost 20 percent of Ukrainian territory is now controlled by Moscow. In addition to Crimea, Russia also lays claim to four other regions in the south and east of the neighboring country. Kyiv has set the restoration of the 1991 borders as a minimum goal.