Zelenskyy meets British prime minister as U.K. pledges attack drones, missiles
Ukraine's President Zelensky is in Britain this morning seeking more military aid. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak says his government will give Ukraine more anti-aircraft missiles, plus long-range drones to attack Russian forces. Now, this is the latest stop on Zelensky's tour of Western Europe ahead of a planned counterattack on Russian positions. Ukraine's army claims it is already advancing in one city that both sides have been fighting now for over months. Deborah Pada has more from Ukraine. It's not every weekend you get to shake hands with the Pope. And that was not the only show of unity during President Volodymyr Zelensky's tour of European allies, including Germany, which announced its largest package since the war began, nearly $3 billion in military aid.
Zelensky used the occasion to dispel reports linked to leaked Pentagon documents that you could see that Ukraine was targeting sites inside Russia. We do not attack Russian territory, the president said. We liberate our lawful land. Ukrainian forces made their most significant advances in months near the key eastern city of Bakhmut, claiming they'd seized 10 Russian positions and forced the troops to withdraw about one and a half miles. This could signal a breakthrough, with confirmation from a most unlikely quarter. The Evgeny Prygorshin head of the Vardna Russian mercenary group that has lost thousands of men in the bloody fight for the city raged on social media that the regular Russian troops were cowards who fled from their positions. The flanks are failing, he said.
The front is collapsing. Zelensky's visit comes at a pivotal moment, with a long-awaited Ukrainian counter-offensive, widely anticipated. But the president warned that while they are almost ready for success, his forces need a little more time and even more weapons. Vlad? Deborah Padda in key for us this morning. Deborah, thank you.
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