Zelensky seeks more support at NATO meet

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky (centre) leaves at the end of his first visit to NATO’s headquarters since Russia’s invasion. Pic/AP

For the first time, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky joined a meeting of more than 50 defense leaders from around the world on Wednesday to make a personal pitch for military aid, in the face of lagging political support in the US and new pressure on allies to send weapons to bolster Israel's war with Hamas.

His presence underscored growing concerns about cracks in what has been staunch international backing for Kyiv in its war against Russia's invasion, and worries that Ukrainian forces haven't made measurable progress in the counteroffensive, as winter closes in.

"No one can say how many more days we will have to defend our independence, but we can say for sure, Putin will not achieve Ukraine, Russia cannot afford a new arms race, and democracy can win this battle," Zelensky told the gathering as they opened the meeting.

The meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, hosted by the US, comes as Ukraine is desperately seeking more weapons to help its troops regain ground from Russian forces before the muddy weather sets in.

Russia fails to regain seat in UN human rights body

Russia was defeated in its bid to regain a seat in the UN's premiere human rights body by a significant majority in Tuesday's election in the General Assembly, which voted last year to suspend Moscow after its invasion of Ukraine. Russia was competing against Albania, Bulgaria for two seats on the Human Rights Council.

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