Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is on a whirlwind tour of his major European supporters, seeking more support and military hardware.

There was heavy applause and a standing ovation for the Ukrainian president as he prepared to speak and be introduced by the legislature's president Roberta Metsola.

Zelenskyy's tour of European capitals has brought him to Brussels to urge EU leaders to send fighter jets and long-range weapons to beef up Kyiv's defenses against Moscow's forces.

What the Ukrainian president said

Zelenskyy opened and closed his speech with the words "Slava Ukraini'' — "Glory to Ukraine'' and thanked European lawmakers for the support offered to Ukraine so far.

He highlighted the importance of democracy for all of European and said that this was "our people's way home."

The Kremlin — which the Ukrainian president described as "the most anti-European force" in the world — wanted to destroy the way of life of all 27 countries of the European Union, he said. "We will not allow that," he said.

"This is our Europe, these are our rules, this is our way of life."

Zelenskyy praised and clapped Europeans who had supported his country in "this historic battle" against Russia. 

Ahead of his address, Zelenskyy appeared with his hand on his heart in front of the blue and yellow Ukrainian flag while the European Parliament played his country's national anthem.

"Ukraine is Europe and your nation's future is in the European Union," Metsola said in her speech. "States must consider, quickly, as a next step, providing long-range systems and the jets you need to protect the liberty too many have taken for granted."

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Charles Michel on Thursday welcomed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as he arrived in Brussels.

The Ukrainian leader began a day earlier when he met UK leaders and lawmakers in London and inspected Ukrainian troops training on western war gear, before flying on to Paris. 

French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday pledged that France would firmly stand by Ukraine, as he met with Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenskyy at the Elysee Palace in Paris.

Macron added that Russia could not be allowed to win the war and that the two leaders, along with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz who traveled to Paris as well, would be discussing Kyiv's needs to sustain its war efforts.

Scholz also assured Zelenskyy of enduring allied support. The German chancellor said that since Russia's invasion began a year ago, Germany and its partners had backed Ukraine "financially, with humanitarian aid and with weapons."

rc/es (AFP, dpa, Reuters, AP)

DW