European Parliament President, Roberta Metsola, expressed her support on Thursday for providing Ukraine with fighter planes and long-range missiles.

“States must consider quickly, a next step, providing long-range systems and the jets that you need to protect the liberty too many have taken for granted,” Ms Metsola said.

Ms Metsola said this at a joint sitting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, provoking applause from EU legislators.

“Our response must be proportional to the threat and the threat is existential,” she said.

Mr Zelensky repeated his call for providing jets to Ukraine on Wednesday in London and is expected to raise the topic again on Thursday when he attends an EU leaders’ summit in Brussels.

Ms Metsola also reiterated the European Union’s support for Ukraine.

“We were with you then, we are with you now, and we will be

with you for as long as it takes. Freedom will prevail. Peace will reign. You will win,” she added. 

(dpa/NAN)