Zelensky has renewed his plea for Western nations to supply Ukraine with more potent weapons, according to news outlets.
These include the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) to help Ukraine defend itself against Russian attacks from places far from the front line.
Expedited talks are under way between Kyiv and its allies about its request for long-range missiles to prevent Russia from destroying Ukrainian cities, a top aide to Zelensky has said, according to the Reuters news agency.
"There can be no taboo in the supply of weapons to protect [Ukraine] against Russian terror," Zelensky said in a nightly address to the nation.
In his video message late on Saturday, the Ukrainian president called on allies to supply his army with additional military equipment to protect Ukrainian cities against Russian attacks, like one that killed three people and injured 14 in the eastern city of Kostiantynivka at the weekend, the PAP news agency reported.
"Russian missiles hit four residential buildings in Kostiantynivka," Zelensky said. "Unfortunately, nowadays this is a common thing to happen in our country. Donbas, Kharkiv region, south of the country."
"It would be possible to stop this Russian terror if we had adequate missile forces in our army," Zelensky added.
He argued that Ukraine needed long-range missiles to eliminate the possibility of Russian forces placing missile launchers far from the front line and using them to destroy Ukrainian cities.
"Ukraine will do everything to ensure that partners provide Kyiv with these necessary weapons, in particular ATACMS missiles and similar," he vowed.
Negotiations in progress
Earlier on Saturday, Zelensky's adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said that negotiations were under way between Ukraine and its Western partners about Kyiv’s request for long-range missiles, Reuters reported.
Meanwhile, military officials have begun pushing the US Department of Defense to approve sending F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine to help the country defend itself from Russian missile and drone attacks, according to a report by the Politico news service.
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Source: PAP, Reuters