BRUSSELS: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday urged allies to step up weapons supplies, on his first visit to the military alliance headquarters since the start of Russia’s all-out war.
Zelensky made a plea for air defense, long-range missiles and ammunition in the face of fears that the Hamas attack on Israel could distract key backer the United States from the conflict in his country.
“How to survive during this next winter for us is big,” Zelensky said as he addressed the media with NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg before meeting alliance defense ministers.
“We are preparing, we are ready. Now we need some support from the leaders. That’s why I’m here today.”
Kyiv’s international backers were meeting to discuss arms deliveries, with a focus on keeping Ukraine’s counter-offensive advancing and providing air defenses to protect against an expected winter onslaught by Russia.
“We will stand by you provide support to Ukraine, because this is really important for the whole of NATO,” Stoltenberg told Zelensky.
The Ukrainian president has expressed worries that the crisis in Israel could deflect attention from the war raging in his homeland.
Zelensky urged the West to rally around the Israeli people as it had around Ukraine after Russia’s invasion last year, and show them they are not “alone.”
“My recommendation to the leaders to go to Israel and I think to support people, just people I’m not speaking about any institutions, just to support people who have been under terrorist attacks,” he said.
The United States has sought to reassure that the decision to step up military support for Israel after the surprise assault by Hamas will not harm Washington’s ability to keep arming Ukraine.
The crisis in Israel comes as the White House is scrambling to find a way to keep weapon supplies flowing to Ukraine after turmoil in the US Congress.
Biden has sought to calm nerves among allies over Washington’s backing for Kyiv after new assistance was dropped from a deal in the US Congress to avoid a government shutdown this month.
The United States has given as much military support to Ukraine on its own as all European NATO members and Canada combined since Moscow launched its all-out invasion last year.
Western diplomats at NATO insist there is no danger of arms supplies to Ukraine drying up in the near future.
“It’s vital to underline our support for Ukraine,” Dutch defense minister Kajsa Ollongren said ahead of the talks between Zelensky and his Western supporters in Brussels.
“The war in Ukraine has our attention, and Ukraine has our full support.”
Ukraine is pushing to become a member of NATO in a bid to ensure its long-term security in the face of Moscow.
Alliance leaders at a summit this summer simplified Kyiv path for joining, but did not offer a clear invitation or deadline for Ukraine to become a member.
Zelensky rallies support on first visit to NATO HQ since invasion
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Zelensky rallies support on first visit to NATO HQ since invasion
- The US is hosting a meeting of the Ukraine contact group to seek more weapons
Lufthansa adds more flights to Asia, Africa as Middle East war reshapes air travel
- Airlines across Europe have been redirecting capacity after suspending services in the Middle East
- Lufthansa said the move also helps meet demand on long-haul routes that Middle Eastern carriers cannot currently serve
LONDON: Lufthansa said on Friday it was shifting capacity from 10 canceled Middle Eastern destinations to routes such as Singapore and Bangkok as it contends with disruption from the US-Israeli war on Iran.
Airlines across Europe, including budget carrier Wizz Air , have been redirecting capacity after suspending services in the Middle East.
Lufthansa said the move also helps meet demand on long-haul routes that Middle Eastern carriers cannot currently serve.
Airline stocks have slumped this week as US and Israeli airstrikes on Iran — and retaliatory strikes by Iran across the Middle East — have disrupted long-haul flights and sent oil prices soaring.
“The war in the Middle East proves once again how exposed air traffic is and how vulnerable it remains,” Lufthansa CEO Carsten Spohr said in a statement. He added the outlook was uncertain, particularly for jet fuel costs.
The schedule changes came as the German group reported better-than-expected 2025 results, saying stricter financial management and fleet renewal had helped contain costs and lift profits. Its shares rose as much as 4 percent, before reversing to trade down 1.2 percent at 1246 GMT.
The company said demand on routes to and from Asia and Africa had risen strongly since the conflict began on Saturday, and it would stick with its focus on expanding long-haul services. Spohr said new flights to Asia would launch in days.
Lufthansa did say how many services it had canceled because of the conflict.
While carriers face costs for rescheduling and rerouting, the biggest impact for those outside the Middle East is expected from surging fuel prices. Brent crude futures have jumped more than 20 percent this week.
Spohr said Lufthansa was well hedged in the short term. The group hedges fuel up to 24 months ahead and was 85 percent hedged as of December 31, according to its annual report.
RESILIENCE
European carriers, including Lufthansa, benefited from slightly lower fuel bills in 2025. Lufthansa’s fuel bill fell 7 percent, helping support earnings as passenger demand stayed firm.
“Last year we were able to significantly increase the Group’s operating profit and achieved the highest revenue in our history. Our results demonstrate the resilience and stability of the Group,” Spohr said.
Lufthansa reported an adjusted operating profit of 2 billion euros ($2.3 billion), compared with 1.9 billion euros forecast in a company-compiled analyst poll and up from 1.6 billion euros in 2024. The group also posted an operating margin of 4.9 percent, up from 4.4 percent a year earlier.
Lufthansa aims to lift operating margins to 8 percent-10 percent between 2028 and 2030 from 4.4 percent in 2024, but strikes by workers, including the most recent on February 12, have made it harder to boost profitability.
Bernstein analyst Alex Irving said ongoing weakness in the passenger airline segment persisted, but that strong performances in Cargo and Lufthansa Technik helped lift profits.
The carrier said the outlook for 2026 was unclear due to geopolitical uncertainty. It projected capacity growth of 4 percent, alongside increased revenue and profit margin.
