Ukraine has launched a new set of foreign policy to rally support for its war effort, with President Volodymyr Zelensky calling on allies to provide more military aid and first lady Olena Zelenska. , challenged the leaders gathered at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, to use their influence to help the country.
Their push comes as the fighting approaches its 12th month, and Kyiv warns that Moscow may be planning a new ground offensive. Ukraine has experienced fierce wars in the east of the country and has faced a series of Russian attacks on its energy infrastructure.
Mr. Zelensky, in his nightly speech on Monday, said that a package new military aid from the UK, including the Challenger 2 tank and another sophisticated package of military equipment, “exactly what we needed.” He cites the attack civilians in an apartment building on Saturday in the Ukrainian city of Dnipro, killing at least 44 people, as a sign that Russia is seeking to change the direction of the war.
“The fact that Russia is preparing a new attempt to take the initiative in the war, the fact that the nature of hostilities lies ahead requires new decisions in the provision of defense – all this. just emphasizes the importance of coordinating our efforts,” Mr. Zelensky said.
A series of diplomatic meetings this week will give Ukraine and its allies the opportunity to work more closely to support the Kiev war effort. The British Foreign Secretary, James Cleverly, is visiting Washington on Tuesday and will meet the US secretary of state, Antony J. Blinken. A gathering of Ukraine’s allies called Ukraine Defense Liaison Group was scheduled to be held at Ramstein Air Base in Germany over the weekend.
Ukraine and its allies increasingly worried that there is a short period of time to prepare for a possible Russian attack in the spring. Russia has suffered a series of casualties since September, when Ukraine recaptured a significant part of its territory in the north and east. Russia responded by targeting civilians and infrastructure as fighting on the eastern front came to a standstill.
On Sunday, Jens Stoltenberg, secretary general of NATO, said the war was at a “decisive stage” as he vowed to continue supporting Ukraine. That assessment is consistent with the view of analysts at War Research Institutea research group that closely follows the conflict, said in its latest daily report on monday that “the Kremlin may intend to take decisive strategic action by 2023.”
England decided send tanks – something the allies had refused to do for months, fearing it would provoke Moscow – added pressure on Germany to deliver the Leopard 2 battle tanks to Ukraine. That decision belongs to the German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, who has said that he will only do so in coordination with key German allies.
In Davos on Tuesday, Ms. Zelenska urged world leaders, executives, scientists and others at the forum, starting Monday, to look around the halls and see that there is a lot many “people who have influence on society and for the community”. world in general.”
“Not all of you are using this influence,” she said, “or sometimes you are using it in an even more divisive way.”
In her speech, she outlined a 10-point peace plan that was previously announced by Mr. Zelensky in November. The plan included a complete withdrawal of Russian troops. He is expected to address the forum by video link on Wednesday.
On the sidelines of the summit, Vitali Klitschko, mayor of Kyiv, told Reuters news agency on Monday that Kyiv’s degraded infrastructure, which has been repeatedly hit by Russian air strikes, is under strain and could collapse “at any time”.
Klitschko’s brother Wladimir, a former heavyweight boxing champion who also attended the summit, added that Ukraine’s allies should speed up the delivery of air defense systems.
“It’s important not to hesitate to give us the weapons we desperately need, but deliver them as soon as possible – otherwise we will continue to lose our infrastructure and most importantly people. our best,” he said, according to Reuters.
