Zelenskyy appeals to allies to keep up aid as Germany pledges new weapons package

BERLIN (AP) — President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Friday it’s important that allies’ aid to Ukraine doesn’t decrease next year as he received a pledge of a new weapons package from German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on a European tour meant to win backing for his “victory plan” aimed at ending the war with Russia.

Zelenskyy arrived in Berlin after stops Thursday in London, Paris and Rome on a tour arranged after a planned summit Saturday with U.S. President Joe Biden and other allied leaders was derailed by Hurricane Milton.

Scholz noted that Germany is Ukraine’s biggest military supporter in Europe and the second-biggest behind the United States, and said “it will stay that way.”

Scholz emphasized Berlin’s continued focus on helping Kyiv with air defense. And he said that, by the end of the year, it will deliver another package of military support worth about 1.4 billion euros ($1.5 billion), with support from Belgium, Denmark and Norway — including further air defense systems, self-propelled Gepard anti-aircraft guns, tanks, armored vehicles, combat drones, artillery ammunition and radars.

“For us, it is very important that aid does not decrease next year,” Zelenskyy said, thanking Scholz for the planned aid. “It must be sufficient to protect people and lives.”

This year’s German budget foresees nearly 7.5 billion euros in military aid for Ukraine, while next year’s plan is for 4 billion euros. Berlin hopes a $50 billlion international loan package funded by interest on profits from frozen Russian assets will play a growing role in financing aid starting next year, with Kyiv procuring weapons directly. The aim is for that system to be set up by the end of the year.

Scholz told Zelenskyy that “you can rely” on that package. He said Russian President Vladimir Putin should realize that “playing for time won’t work; we won’t let up in our support for Ukraine.”

The Ukrainian leader has yet to publicly detail his proposals for “victory.” But the timing of his efforts to lock in European support appear to have the looming U.S. election in mind. Former President Donald Trump has long been critical of U.S. aid to Kyiv.

Ukraine’s stretched and short-handed army is currently under heavy pressure in the country’s eastern Donetsk region. Russian forces recently pushed it out of the Donetsk town of Vuhledar and are now in control of about half of nearby Toretsk. To stop the losses, Zelenskyy needs to secure more help.

In Berlin, he said that Ukraine “would want to end the war no later than in 2025.”

“This plan is a bridge to hold a productive peace summit that will truly put an end to the war,” he said, adding that Ukraine can only strengthen its position against Russia through cooperation with Western partners.

Earlier Friday, Zelenskyy had a 35-minute meeting with Pope Francis at the Vatican. He also met the Vatican’s secretary of state, Pietro Parolin.

“The discussions were dedicated to the state of the war and the humanitarian situation in Ukraine, as well as the ways in which it could be brought to an end, leading to just and stable peace in the country,” the Vatican said, adding that “some matters relating to the religious life of the country were also examined.”

Since the first Russian attack on Kyiv, there have been multiple contacts between Francis and Zelenskyy, through visits, letters and phone calls.

The pope sparked some criticism from Ukrainian leaders in March when he suggested they should have the courage of the “white flag” negotiating an end to the war with Russia, in what was interpreted by many as a call to surrender.

Francis has called repeatedly for an end to the war, focusing on prisoner exchanges and on reaching a diplomatic solution to the Ukrainian conflict.

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Arhirova reported from Kyiv, Ukraine. Giada Zampano contributed to this report from Vatican City.