Ukraine to launch long-anticipated counteroffensive: Zelenskyy

The first important steps of a highly anticipated military counteroffensive against Russian forces would be taken soon, said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as he met with European partners providing his country with weapons, as per the media report.

Talking to the media in Rome after meetings with his Italian counterpart and Italy’s PM Giorgia Meloni, Zelenskyy said that Ukrainian forces were “preparing very seriously.” “There will definitely be very serious steps. I cannot tell you when, but you will definitely see it, and Russia will definitely feel it,” he said, adding, “We believe in victory and believe that the first important steps will be taken soon.”

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni had a “long and fruitful” discussion with Zelenskyy on Saturday. Following the discussion, she assured Ukraine of ongoing support and pledged that Rome would support any future bid by Kyiv to become a part of NATO.

“We are ready to support a further intensification of Ukraine’s partnership with NATO; we will discuss it in Vilnius at the July summit; it will probably be the central theme,” Meloni added.

Among those Western supporters is Germany, where Zelenskyy landed on Sunday, his first trip there since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine started in February, CNN reported.
“Already in Berlin. Weapons. Powerful package. Air defence. Reconstruction. EU. NATO. Security,” Zelenskyy wrote on Twitter.