'Nothing positive': Zelenskyy frustrated over slow Western military aid

Western allies are taking too long to make key decisions on military support for Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has told Reuters in an exclusive interview in Kiev.

Clearly frustrated, he described on Monday, the delivery of the aid, in particular of air defences like the Patriot systems which Ukraine relies on heavily in its war with Russia, as "one big step forward, but before that, two steps back."

"Every decision to which we, then later everyone together, comes to is late by around one year," he said, wearing his trademark khaki T-shirt and trousers and raising his voice at times.

Zelenskyy suggested ways in which allies could help more directly, including by shooting down Russian missiles over Ukrainian territory in certain circumstances.

"Russians are using 300 planes on the territory of Ukraine," he said. "We need at least 120, 130 planes to resist in the sky," Zelenskyy added, referring to US-designed F-16s, some of which he hopes will be used in combat soon.'

'Nothing positive'

"You can't provide that right now? OK, returning to the planes that you have on the territory of neighbouring NATO countries: raise them shoot down targets, and protect civilians."

"Can they do this? I'm sure that yes. Is this an attack by NATO countries, involvement? No."

The Ukrainian leader also said Kiev was negotiating with international partners to use their weapons to strike Russian military hardware at the border and further inside Russian territory.

"So far, there is nothing positive," he said.

The United States has resisted Ukrainian calls to use its missiles against internationally recognised Russian territory, reflecting concerns in the West about the risk of escalation while also seeking to ensure Kiev emerges victorious.

According to the 46-year-old, the battlefield situation in the northeast of the country is now under control, after Moscow's forces crossed the border and launched incursions towards the city of Kharkiv.

He said that the world should not forget that Russia was also pushing hard in the east as well. Ukraine's forces are already stretched thin along the more than 1,000-km-long front lines, but it would take time to prepare recruits under a new mobilisation drive for battle, Zelenskyy said.