Ukraine’s president urges world to rally around his attempts to promote Kyiv’s vision of a just peace settlement to end Russia’s war.
June 2, 2024
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed disappointment Sunday that “some world leaders” had not signed up to a peace summit, after China signaled Xi Jinping would not attend and with Joe Biden yet to commit.
Zelensky made the remarks at a security forum in Singapore as he appealed for more military aid for Ukraine, which has been ceding ground to Russian troops.
Ukraine is also trying to whip up attendance at the peace meeting in Switzerland this month where it hopes to win broad international backing for its vision of the terms needed to end Russia’s war.
Zelensky said more than 100 countries and organizations had signed up to the conference, and he urged Asia-Pacific nations to join.
“We are disappointed that some world leaders have not yet confirmed their participation in the peace summit,” Zelensky said at the Shangri-La Dialogue, without mentioning China or the United States by name.
The peace summit threatens to be overshadowed if key Ukraine backer Biden — who is locked in campaigning against Donald Trump and has given no sign he would participate — ultimately stays away.
China also said Friday it would be “difficult” to participate in the conference if Russia did not participate.
Beijing believes the conference “should have the recognition of Russia and Ukraine, equal participation of all parties and fair discussion of all peace plans”, foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told a regular news conference.
“Otherwise, it is difficult for the conference to play a substantive role in restoring peace,” she said.
– ‘Unwavering US support’ –
Zelensky also met with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Sunday on the sidelines of the Singapore security forum. Zelensky told reporters they had a “very good” meeting.
In a post on X, Zelensky said the pair discussed “the defense needs of our country, bolstering Ukraine’s air defense system, the F-16 coalition, and drafting of a bilateral security agreement.”
In a readout of the talks, Pentagon spokesman Major General Pat Ryder said Austin reiterated “unwavering US support for Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression”.
Austin also “reaffirmed the US commitment to maintaining the strong support of a coalition of over fifty countries to help Ukraine defend its freedom,” Ryder said.
The meeting came after Washington decided to partially lift restrictions on using US-provided weapons to strike inside Russia, which Zelensky has hailed as a “step forward”.
Zelensky and Austin last met face-to-face in December in Washington, where Zelensky made a last-ditch plea for US aid before it ran out.
The US Congress approved in April a $61-billion aid package for Ukraine following months of political wrangling, unlocking much-needed arms for the country’s outgunned troops.
Chinese defense spokesman Wu Qian told AFP he was not aware of any plans for Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun to meet with Zelensky in Singapore.
Ukraine is struggling to hold back a Russian ground offensive in the Kharkiv region, where Moscow recently made its largest territorial gains in 18 months.
Zelensky has been touring European nations in recent days seeking more military aid for Ukrainian troops, and warning partners of the risks if they show any signs of fatigue over the war.
“It is very important for Ukrainians that the world does not get tired… that the world understands that it cannot get tired of the war launched by the aggressor,” Zelensky said in Portugal on Tuesday.
https://www.kyivpost.com/post/33649
Quite frankly, I don’t know what Zelensky is expecting from this peace conference. No matter what gasses are being exchanged, what promises and signatures will be collected, the summit will not stop the killing and destruction. History has shown that discussions about this or that and agreements with mafia land about anything are useless. They will change nothing.
As I see it, there are only a small handful of things that can stop the war; the death of the top warmonger and/or his regime, bat virus land dropping mafia land like a hot potato, the total collapse of the mafia economy, or the destruction of the cockroach army. Preferably, all four.
Sen. Roger Wicker on May 31:
“Ukraine can’t win this war with one hand tied behind its back. The Russian mainland – including just steps across the border – must not remain a total sanctuary to continue its unprovoked and illegal war. It’s about time Biden administration joined our allies in Britain, France, and even Germany in allowing Ukraine to hit back. The Administration should abandon its ‘drip-drip-drip’ policies and embrace my mantra of ‘more, better, and faster’ to arming Ukraine.”
He’s the lead Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee. The one guy that putler would not want as president. His calm manner obscures his visceral hatred of putlerstan.
He’s in his 70’s, but shows none of the brain fog of the two contenders. What a pity it is that two shitheads are lining up for the job when there are people like Mr Wicker, who could do it so much better.
Do you recall the hateful jibes that Trumpkov aimed at two pro-Ukraine Republicans of Cuban origin?
Cruz : “lyin’ Ted.” And what about this crap:
“Donald Trump on Tuesday alleged that Ted Cruz’s father was with John F. Kennedy’s assassin shortly before he murdered the president, parroting a National Enquirer story claiming that Rafael Cruz was pictured with Lee Harvey Oswald handing out pro-Fidel Castro pamphlets in New Orleans in 1963.”
Drivel from the National Enquirer. Yet now Cruz is a staunch Trumper. Unbelievable.
Marco Rubio: “little Marco.” “Little Marco Rubio gave amnesty to criminal aliens guilty of sex offenses.”
Yet Rubio is now Trump’s biggest fan!
“This is the quintessential show trial. This is what you see in communist countries. This is what I grew up having people in this community tell me about, what happened in the days after the Castro revolution. Obviously, those led to executions. This, on the other hand, is an effort to interfere in the election,” said Rubio, who was born in Miami to Cuban parents who immigrated to the U.S.”
At least Michael Cohen has a good name for Trumpkov. It’s:
“Donald Von ShitzinPantz.”
Every country has shitheads in politics, and as you pointed out and everyone knows, so do we.
It’s ok if Biden stays away. But Blinken and Austin should attend. And what about Gen. Charles Q Brown Jr? Why is he so silent? Has he spoken about Ukraine?
“Zelensky made the remarks at a security forum in Singapore as he appealed for more military aid for Ukraine, which has been ceding ground to Russian troops.”
Journos: please don’t use the word “ceding.” In this context, it’s a formal surrender. Just say “temporarily lost some ground to orc vermin.”
You’re right about not saying “ceding”, but they should just say “losing”. Saying “temporarily” is making a prediction that the lost ground will be reclaimed, which is our hope but which would be inappropriate to say in a news report.