Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday called on his allies to step up aid to Ukraine, which was invaded by Russian forces nearly a year ago.
“We need speed. Speed to close our agreements, speed in deliveries to strengthen our struggle, speed in decisions to limit Russia’s potential. There is no alternative to speed, because life depends on it”said the Ukrainian head of state during an intervention, in video format, at the International Security Conference that started this Friday in Munich, Germany.
“There is no alternative to Ukraine’s victory. There is no alternative to Ukraine in the European Union (EU). There is no alternative to Ukraine in NATO”he underlined.
Zelensky added that Russian President Vladimir Putin was “trying to buy time for his aggression” and “bet on fatigue on the part of the parties”.
“Of course, Ukraine will not be the last step. It will continue [a ofensiva] towards other states of the former Soviet bloc”predicted.
The Kremlin leader “is afraid of the situation in his country,” he added.
The Russian military offensive on Ukrainian territory, launched on February 24 last year, plunged Europe into what is considered the most serious security crisis since World War II (1939-1945).
Several heads of state and government, ministers and leaders of international organizations will be attending the Munich Security Conference in the coming days, an event taking place on the eve of the first anniversary of the war in Ukraine.
A few days before the end of a year since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, conflict will be the dominant theme of the conference, which will run through Sunday.
French President Emmanuel Macron, US Vice President Kamala Harris, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, the Cabinet Director of the Communist Party’s Foreign Affairs Committee of China, Wang Yi, and the Foreign Minister of Ukraine, Dmytro Kuleba, are some of the names that will visit Munich.
No Russian representative has been announced at the conference to date.
Source: DN
