Vladimir Zelensky. File photoUN, Sep 22Volodymyr Zelensky used the high-level week of the UN General Assembly session to ask the West for long-range strike systems. Earlier, the UN General Assembly allowed Zelensky not to come to New York to speak. Kyiv explained its request with alleged fears for Zelensky's safety. Meanwhile, other leaders who, for one reason or another, cannot come, were denied the right to provide a video recording of the speech. Zelensky began his speech with accusations against the Russian Federation. He laid the blame for the attacks on the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, as well as for the attack on the pre-trial detention center in Yelenovka, on the Russian side. He did not provide evidence of this. «We need defense assistance, military equipment and ammunition. Long-range offensive weapons are enough to liberate our land,» Zelensky said. He also asked for air defense systems and financial support. At the same time, Zelensky named five «preconditions Kyiv to establish peace. He referred to them as «punishment» of Russia, including sanctions, deprivation of the rights of Russian delegations, deprivation of Russia's right to veto in the UN Security Council. He suggested «punishing» ordinary Russians as well, primarily by refusing to issue visas. The second precondition is the provision of military and financial support to Ukraine, as well as intelligence. As the third precondition, he called the restoration of the territorial integrity of Ukraine, the fourth — the provision of security guarantees to it. Zelensky recalled the draft guarantees that Kyiv had previously proposed. The fifth element, he said, is «the countries' commitment to helping Ukraine.» Russia had previously sent a note to NATO countries over arms supplies to Ukraine. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov noted that any cargo that contains weapons for Ukraine will become a legitimate target for Russia. The Russian Foreign Ministry stated that NATO countries are «playing with fire» by supplying weapons to Ukraine. missiles ATACMS
