The wife of the President of Ukraine Elena Zelenskaya. File photoWASHINGTON, Jul 20Vladimir Zelensky's wife Yelena, in a speech to the US Congress, called on the United States to help her country with air defense equipment. Russia had previously sent a note to NATO countries due to the supply of weapons to Ukraine. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov noted that any cargo that contains weapons for Ukraine will become a legitimate target for Russia. Later, Lavrov, in an interview with RIA Novosti and RT, said that Ukraine was being pumped up with weapons and kept from any constructive steps. The Foreign Ministry of the Russian Federation stated that the NATO countries are «playing with fire» by supplying weapons to Ukraine. Press Secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov noted that pumping Ukraine with weapons from the West does not contribute to the success of Russian-Ukrainian negotiations and will have a negative effect. «I ask for something that I would never want to ask. I ask you for weapons, weapons, which would be used … to protect your home and the right to wake up in this house alive. I ask for air defense systems,» Zelenska said. The United States had previously promised to transfer modern NASAMS medium-range air defense systems to Ukraine. Zelenskaya said that she was the first wife of a foreign leader to receive an invitation to speak in Congress. The day before, she was received at the White House by US President Joe Biden along with his wife Jill. Before that, Zelenskaya had a meeting with Secretary of State Anthony Blinken.
