Ukraine’s Zelenskiy heads to Berlin, Paris to drum up wartime aid

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy landed in Germany on Friday as part of a tour to drum up vital military assistance and sign bilateral security commitments as the war with Russia nears its third year.
The trip comes as Kyiv’s troops are trying to hold back Russian forces closing in on the eastern town of Avdiivka. Ukraine faces a shortage of manpower and ammunition stockpiles, while U.S. military aid has been delayed for months.
It will mark Zelenskiy’s first foreign trip since he replaced his popular army chief and reshuffled his military command, a big gamble at a difficult juncture in the war that he said was needed to face shifting battlefield challenges.
Germany and France were poised to become the second and third Ukrainian allies to sign bilateral security deals that would establish terms for continued support until Ukraine reaches its goal of joining the NATO military alliance.