Brussels [Belgium], March 6 : Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed heartfelt gratitude to European leaders for their unwavering support during the European leaders summit in Brussels, Al Jazeera reported.
Standing alongside top EU chiefs, including Ursula von der Leyen and Antonio Costa, Zelenskyy said it meant Ukraine was not "alone" in its fight to repel Russia's invasion.
"We are very thankful that we are not alone. And these are not just words," Zelenskyy said, standing alongside EU chiefs Ursula von der Leyen and Antonio Costa. "It's very important you made a strong signal to the Ukrainian people."
Von der Leyen told reporters that Ukraine and Europe were at a "watershed moment".
"Europe faces a clear and present danger, and therefore Europe has to be able to protect itself, to defend itself, we have to put Ukraine in a position to protect itself and to push for lasting and just peace," she said.
On Thursday, all 27 EU leaders meet in Brussels for a critical defense summit. This gathering comes on the heels of a tense meeting between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Washington DC last week, as per Al Jazeera.
After his meeting with Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever in Brussels., Zelenskyy thanked the government and all Belgians for their support, particularly for the decision to transfer F-16 fighter jets.
"We greatly appreciate these strong steps to protect Ukrainian lives. I informed the Prime Minister about the preparation of a European plan to bring a just peace closer and invited him to take part in its development. During our talks, we focused particularly on defense needs, primarily the supply of artillery systems and ammunition, as well as investment in Ukraine's domestic production of long-range drones and missiles. These systems have already proven their effectiveness on the front lines, and we must work together to strengthen this advantage. We also discussed Ukraine's integration into the EU. I am grateful to Belgium for its unwavering support for Ukraine," Zelenskyy said.
Zelenskyy had earlier pressed US President Donald Trump to provide a security guarantee, which initially sparked a strong reaction from the US President. However, Trump has since softened his stance after Ukraine agreed to sign a major mineral deal with the US.