SINGAPORE: Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenskyy told the Shangri-La Dialogue on Sunday (Jun 2) that diplomacy – in the form of a peace summit later this month – was the best way to end a “cruel war” that has killed thousands in his country since 2022.
In an address and question-and-answer session at the security conference in Singapore, Zelenskyy said 106 countries and organisations had signed on for the peace summit in Switzerland, but noted it was disappointing that some world leaders had not yet offered their support. Russia was trying to disrupt the peace efforts, he said.
“We are convinced that our world wants to be united and be capable of acting in complete harmony,” Zelenskyy said.
He also thanked countries, including the United States, Germany and the Netherlands, for their military assistance, particularly with air defence systems. Zelenskyy cited a Russian attack on Sunday with nearly 100 missiles – something he said had happened hundreds of times – and noted “no country could handle this alone”.
TALKS WITH LEADERS
Zelenskyy and his defence minister, Rustem Umerov, had talks with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin for more than an hour on Sunday on the sidelines of the conference.
Asked about the meeting by reporters as he left the room, the Ukrainian president said it was “very good”. Austin made no comment.
Austin updated Zelenskyy on Washington’s military assistance to Kyiv and “reaffirmed the US commitment to maintaining the strong support” during the meeting, a Pentagon official said after the meeting, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.
“The two leaders pledged to further strengthen the strategic defence partnership between the United States and Ukraine,” the Pentagon official said.
Discussion about this post