BRUSSELS: Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday urged US chief Joe Biden to attend a June peace summit in Switzerland, as he accused Russia’s Vladimir Putin of making an attempt to derail the gathering.
Zelenskyy’s enchantment got here as he locked in a dedication from Belgium to provide 30 F-16 fighter jets by 2028, on the most recent leg of a whistlestop tour to rally Western help.
Ukraine is pushing to whip up attendance on the peace convention subsequent month the place it hopes to win broad worldwide backing for its imaginative and prescient of the phrases wanted to finish Russia’s conflict.
However the assembly threatens to be overshadowed if key Ukraine backer Biden — who’s locked in campaigning in opposition to Donald Trump and has given no signal he would take part — in the end stays away.
“If (Biden) just isn’t current, it is going to be identical to applauding Putin: personally applauding and doing so standing,” Zelenskyy mentioned at a press convention alongside Belgium’s Alexander De Croo.
The Ukrainian chief mentioned that Putin was “very scared” of the peace summit and was making an attempt to derail the occasion set for June 15-16.
“He has been making an attempt to thwart this summit and continues to take action,” mentioned Zelenskyy, who has dominated out Russian participation within the gathering.
Moscow in the meantime dismissed the proposed peace summit with out Russia as “absurd”.
“The convention is, from our standpoint, utterly hopeless when it comes to discovering some methods to resolve the battle round Ukraine,” mentioned Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
10-year pledge
Zelenskyy’s newest tour of allies comes as Ukraine is struggling to carry again a Russian floor offensive within the Kharkiv area, the place Moscow lately has made its largest territorial positive aspects in 18 months.
Belgium’s dedication of fighter jets — which it hopes to start out delivering by yr’s finish — got here a day after Spain promised Zelenskyy one billion euros in help on a go to to Madrid, and earlier than he heads to Portugal later Tuesday.
The pledge was made as a part of a bilateral safety and long-term help accord signed by Zelenskyy and De Croo, the most recent in a string of comparable Ukrainian offers with Western backers.
The safety settlement, Zelenskyy mentioned, “consists of not less than 977 million euros in Belgian army help to Ukraine this yr,” along with a dedication of help over the subsequent 10 years.
“However let me be very clear, extra must be achieved,” De Croo mentioned, in a message to Western allies.
“It must be achieved quicker, and it must be achieved higher. Ukraine can solely push again the invader if we offer extra and if we offer higher arms.”
‘Unfair’
The pledges of additional help for Kyiv come as strain mounts on key allies resembling america and Germany to let Ukraine hit targets in Russia utilizing weaponry they’re supplying.
Washington and Berlin have refused to allow Kyiv to strike over the border out of concern that it may drag them nearer to direct battle with Moscow.
“I feel that is unfair,” Zelenskyy mentioned.
“However we, and it is a reality, can’t danger the help of our companions — that’s the reason we aren’t utilizing our companions’ arms to assault Russian territory.
“That is why we’re asking: Please give us the permission to do this.”
EU international coverage chief Josep Borrell threw his weight behind Kyiv’s pleas.
“You must stability the chance of escalation and the necessity for Ukrainians to defend,” Borrell mentioned at a gathering of EU defence ministers throughout city in Brussels.
That was echoed by Nato boss Jens Stoltenberg who insisted for the second day operating that Ukraine had the proper to strike “professional army targets inside Russia.”
However German’s deputy defence minister Siemtje Moller reiterated that Berlin had taken a “sovereign resolution” to not let Kyiv strike.
And sitting subsequent to Zelenskyy, even De Croo appeared unmoved as he mentioned the weapons Belgium was supplying may solely be used on “Ukrainian territory”.
Zelenskyy’s enchantment got here as he locked in a dedication from Belgium to provide 30 F-16 fighter jets by 2028, on the most recent leg of a whistlestop tour to rally Western help.
Ukraine is pushing to whip up attendance on the peace convention subsequent month the place it hopes to win broad worldwide backing for its imaginative and prescient of the phrases wanted to finish Russia’s conflict.
However the assembly threatens to be overshadowed if key Ukraine backer Biden — who’s locked in campaigning in opposition to Donald Trump and has given no signal he would take part — in the end stays away.
“If (Biden) just isn’t current, it is going to be identical to applauding Putin: personally applauding and doing so standing,” Zelenskyy mentioned at a press convention alongside Belgium’s Alexander De Croo.
The Ukrainian chief mentioned that Putin was “very scared” of the peace summit and was making an attempt to derail the occasion set for June 15-16.
“He has been making an attempt to thwart this summit and continues to take action,” mentioned Zelenskyy, who has dominated out Russian participation within the gathering.
Moscow in the meantime dismissed the proposed peace summit with out Russia as “absurd”.
“The convention is, from our standpoint, utterly hopeless when it comes to discovering some methods to resolve the battle round Ukraine,” mentioned Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
10-year pledge
Zelenskyy’s newest tour of allies comes as Ukraine is struggling to carry again a Russian floor offensive within the Kharkiv area, the place Moscow lately has made its largest territorial positive aspects in 18 months.
Belgium’s dedication of fighter jets — which it hopes to start out delivering by yr’s finish — got here a day after Spain promised Zelenskyy one billion euros in help on a go to to Madrid, and earlier than he heads to Portugal later Tuesday.
The pledge was made as a part of a bilateral safety and long-term help accord signed by Zelenskyy and De Croo, the most recent in a string of comparable Ukrainian offers with Western backers.
The safety settlement, Zelenskyy mentioned, “consists of not less than 977 million euros in Belgian army help to Ukraine this yr,” along with a dedication of help over the subsequent 10 years.
“However let me be very clear, extra must be achieved,” De Croo mentioned, in a message to Western allies.
“It must be achieved quicker, and it must be achieved higher. Ukraine can solely push again the invader if we offer extra and if we offer higher arms.”
‘Unfair’
The pledges of additional help for Kyiv come as strain mounts on key allies resembling america and Germany to let Ukraine hit targets in Russia utilizing weaponry they’re supplying.
Washington and Berlin have refused to allow Kyiv to strike over the border out of concern that it may drag them nearer to direct battle with Moscow.
“I feel that is unfair,” Zelenskyy mentioned.
“However we, and it is a reality, can’t danger the help of our companions — that’s the reason we aren’t utilizing our companions’ arms to assault Russian territory.
“That is why we’re asking: Please give us the permission to do this.”
EU international coverage chief Josep Borrell threw his weight behind Kyiv’s pleas.
“You must stability the chance of escalation and the necessity for Ukrainians to defend,” Borrell mentioned at a gathering of EU defence ministers throughout city in Brussels.
That was echoed by Nato boss Jens Stoltenberg who insisted for the second day operating that Ukraine had the proper to strike “professional army targets inside Russia.”
However German’s deputy defence minister Siemtje Moller reiterated that Berlin had taken a “sovereign resolution” to not let Kyiv strike.
And sitting subsequent to Zelenskyy, even De Croo appeared unmoved as he mentioned the weapons Belgium was supplying may solely be used on “Ukrainian territory”.
