EU's Charles Michel meets Zelenskyy, pledges more arms as 'next few weeks may be decisive'

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with President of the European Council Charles Michel who arrived in Ukraine on Thursday. After laying a wreath at the Wall of Remembrance in the capital Kyiv, Michel held talks with Zelenskyy on "concrete measures Europe can take to support the country in its war with Russia". The visit came after Zelenskyy repeatedly asked NATO to provide heavy battlefield tanks to the Ukrainian forces. "The sooner the necessary decisions are made by some leaders directly in Europe on defense supplies to our fighters, Ukrainian warriors, the more reliably we will be able to guarantee the safety of our people, the safety of all Europeans," Zelenskyy said. 

Both parties discussed further strengthening of sanctions pressure on the Russian Federation, steps to implement the Ukrainian Peace Formula, where the European Union can become one of the powerful leaders and help expand the circle of partners, as well as bilateral cooperation with the EU and the process of Ukraine's European integration, a statement by Zelenskyy's office read.

Zelenskyy thanked for the large package of support for the Ukrainian budget from the EU in the amount of EUR 18 billion and the allocation of the first tranche (EUR 3 billion). The two leaders also discussed preparations for the 24th EU-Ukraine Summit to be held in early February. "We expect very concrete results, we expect agreements," Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. The EU has already been mobilizing its financial resources to support Ukraine. Michel recalled the EU's decision to provide UKraine with macro-financial assistance totaling EUR 18 billion in 2023.

We hear your message. You need more air defence and artillery systems, more ammunitions.

I firmly believe that tanks must be delivered.
We want to support you because we are aware that the next few weeks may be decisive for what comes next. @ZelenskyyUa pic.twitter.com/vc1MU0e7fI

— Charles Michel (@CharlesMichel) January 19, 2023

German Defence Minister meets US counterpart in Berlin

On the same day, Germany's new defence minister Boris Pistorius welcomed his US counterpart Lloyd Austin in Berlin. The two attended the first meeting of the Ukrainian Defence Contact Group on Friday at the Ramstein Air Base in Germany. He is coming under increasing pressure from allies to give the green light for German-made Leopard 2 tanks to be sent to Ukraine, but as yet he is steered clear of giving a direct answer.

"German weapons systems delivered so far to Ukraine have proven their worth for example howitzers, Gepard or the state-of-the-art Iris air defence system," said Pistorius ahead of the meeting. "Together with our partners, we will continue to support Ukraine in its fight for freedom, territorial independence and sovereignty.”