Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on Western nations Thursday to provide more money to help Ukraine�s military keep fighting nearly 5� months after Russia invaded its neighbor.

�The sooner we stop Russia, the sooner we can feel safe,� Zelenskyy said while addressing defense leaders at a Denmark conference aimed at strengthening financing for weapons, training and demining work in his country.

�We need armaments, munitions for our defense,� he added, speaking via a live link from Ukraine.

The conference in Copenhagen is a follow-up to an April meeting at a U.S. air base in Germany that established the U.S.-led Ukraine Defense Contact Group, which coordinates international military support for Ukraine.

Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov, who attended the conference in Denmark�s capital, told journalists that acquiring more fighter planes is the country�s priority right now.

�In the first stage, we need fighters. After that, demining,� Reznikov said.

Denmark is co-hosting the daylong conference in Copenhagen with Britain and Ukraine. British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said the goal of the event was securing �concrete steps.�

He announced that Britain says it will send more multiple launch rocket systems and guided missiles to Ukraine to help it resist Russia�s invasion.

The new weapons, whose number wasn�t specified, come on top of several rocket-launch systems given by Britain to Ukraine earlier this year. Ukrainian troops have been trained in Britain to use them.

�Our continued support sends a very clear message, Britain and the international community remain opposed to this illegal war and will stand shoulder-to-shoulder, providing defensive military aid to Ukraine to help them defend against Putin�s invasion,� Wallace said.

Before the conference started, the Danish government said it would give Ukraine an extra 820 million kroner ($113 million), which would bring Denmark�s total contribution to the war effort to more than 3 billion kroner ($413 million). Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called it �a huge donation.�

Part of the money would pay for 130 Danish troops to help train Ukrainian forces in Britain over the coming months.

�We will not let you down,� Frederiksen said as she opened the conference.

Norwegian Defense Minister Bj�rn Arild Gram said there was still unwavering Western support for Ukraine.

�There still is a very strong support to help Ukraine, also on the long run. It is decisive for Ukraine to be able to defend itself against the Russian attack,� Arild Gram said.

The Kyiv School of Economics released a report Wednesday assessing the cost of war damage to Ukraine�s infrastructure at more than $110 billion. The report said 304 bridges and more than 900 health care facilities were either destroyed or damaged.

(AP)