Visit to Zelenskyy: Johnson promises armored vehicles and weapons to Ukraine – Politics
Armored vehicles and missiles
During a visit by Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Friday, Johnson announced that he would send further weapons worth £100 million (the equivalent of around 120 million euros) to Ukraine. These included Starstreak surface-to-air missiles. Now Johnson also said 120 armored vehicles and anti-ship missile systems. It had to be ensured that “Ukraine survives and prospers as a free and sovereign nation,” he said.
Ukraine was attacked by neighboring Russia more than six weeks ago. Kyiv is supported by the West with arms deliveries. Anti-tank weapons come primarily from Great Britain. However, the Ukrainian leadership is interested in heavy engineering and, above all, anti-aircraft systems.
Chancellor Nehammer also announces support
Austria will support Ukraine in the fight against Russia with rescue and fire engines. Chancellor Nehammer announced this on Saturday after talks with Selenskyj in Kyiv. Nehammer underlined that the war triggered by Russia was completely unacceptable for Austria. “We are militarily neutral, but not when it comes to naming crimes or going where injustice is actually happening.” Austria is not a member of NATO.
Nehammer had already demanded on arrival that the war crimes that became known after Russia’s attack on Ukraine had to be fully investigated by independent and international experts. “This is a wonderful signal that the leaders of European countries are starting to come here and support us not only with words,” said Zelenskyy. In addition, Austria will reopen its embassy in Kyiv.
So far, Austria has supplied 10,000 helmets and 9,000 protective vests for civilian use. At the same time, like Germany, it is one of the EU countries that currently refuse to stop deliveries of Russian gas. Austria obtains 80 percent of its gases from Russia. After some hesitation, Vienna recently expelled four Russian diplomats from the country.
Since the beginning of the war, almost 4.5 million of around 44 million Ukrainians have left their homeland. Around 51,000 refugees have been registered in Austria so far, mostly women with children.