Ukraine announced yesterday that it has managed to penetrate the Russian defense line in the east, after the “liberation” of the villages of Andriivka and Klishchiivka near Bakhmut. Good news amid a slow counter-offensive for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who will be in New York today to speak at the United Nations General Assembly and tomorrow will participate in the Security Council meeting, including meeting with the Brazilian President Lula da Silva.
The draft speech by Zelensky, who spoke via videoconference last year, is sure to include gratitude for the allies’ support in responding to the Russian invasion, as well as requests for more help to advance further on the ground. But new support will also be sought, especially in the so-called Global South – where Lula, criticized in the past for his neutral position on the war, will be one of its most important representatives.
In an interview with the CBS program 60 Minutes, the Ukrainian president responded to criticism about the slowness of the counter-offensive. “Everyone wants to win now and doesn’t even want to wait until tomorrow. But a year ago, some people even doubted whether we could go on the offensive. The question was whether we should survive as a whole or not. Today we have the initiative”” he declared, saying that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s tactics are clear: “A war of destruction and exhaustion of our armed forces and the unity of our partners. That’s why we can’t stop.’
Zelensky’s agenda also includes attending the Security Council meeting. At this General Assembly, only the leader of one of the five permanent members will be present: US President Joe Biden, who will also speak today following Lula (it is tradition that Brazil speaks first). Neither Chinese President Xi Jinping nor Russian President Vladimir Putin will be in New York. The two countries are strengthening their partnership, with the head of Chinese diplomacy, Wang Yi, visiting Moscow yesterday.
Frenchman Emmanuel Macron will also be absent from the General Assembly; From tomorrow he will receive a state visit from King Charles III. And British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak chose not to go, as this is the first time in a decade that Britain is not represented by the head of government. President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa speaks today (see page 10).
Trial against Europeans
Kiev announced yesterday that it has filed a complaint with the World Trade Organization (WTO) against Poland, Hungary and Slovakia over the decision to extend the embargo on imports of Ukrainian grains. “For us it is essential to define that Member States individually cannot ban the import of Ukrainian goods,” said Ukrainian Economy Minister Iulia Svyrydenko.
The decision by these three European Union countries to continue the embargo comes after the Commission decided to lift it. In these countries, the protection of their farmers is at stake, and in the Polish case, elections are approaching.
Source: DN
