Economy – Davos day 2: Zelensky appeals to his allies and asks them not to cut their aid to Ukraine

First modification: 01/17/2024 – 03:35

On the second day of meetings in Davos, the president of Ukraine focused all his efforts on making senior global leaders not forget the war in Ukraine, which has recently been overshadowed by the conflict in the Middle East with the attacks between Israel and Hamas .

100 days after the start of the war in Gaza and with the United States, the European Union, the UN and other international judicial entities speaking about it, Zelensky said on a podium that the war on Ukrainian territory is “everyone's issue.” .

“If anyone thinks that this is just about us, that this is just about Ukraine, they are fundamentally wrong. The possible directions and even the chronology of new Russian aggression beyond Ukraine become increasingly obvious,” he said on Tuesday. January 16 from the Swiss city.

The president also assured that it is necessary to increase sanctions against Russia and said that for him, the entire conflict has a first and last name: “in fact, Putin embodies war. We all know that he is the only reason why several wars and conflicts, and why all attempts to restore peace have failed, and that will not change,” he said.

Prior to these statements and with the announcement of a Global Peace Summit, sponsored by Switzerland, to discuss the end of the war in Ukraine, the Russian president said that it was “impossible” to end the “special operation,” taking into account “all the progress” that the Russian side had achieved.

Putin explained that under the terms that Zelensky has described in his Peace Formula, there would be no place for Moscow to take refuge, since it only paints Russia as a criminal and describes the accessions of territory it has made to the Russian Federation as illegitimate.

This peace summit, which the Ukrainian president announced on Monday, January 15, together with his Swiss counterpart, has not contemplated the participation of Russia and aims to find an end to the war that includes the reestablishment of the four regions annexed by Moscow and Russia's subsequent appearance before international courts for war crimes.

A day with high-level meetings

The Ukrainian president took advantage of every moment of the economic congress that brings together the richest businessmen and heads of state and government in the world and scheduled meetings with several of them.

Zelensky spoke with the head of American diplomacy to emphasize the importance of that country's investment in Ukraine; Anthony Blinken responded with a message of calm and guaranteed that despite the internal obstacles in the US Congress to send more money, “Joe Biden's Administration will not waver in support.”

After having the support of his main partner, he focused on the second: Brussels. Zelensky sat down with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and asked her to call on the 27 countries of the European Union to redouble their support in the conflict.

The European leader did more than that and extended the call to the entire West, explaining that “aid must not stop if kyiv is to succeed” in the war against Moscow.

“Ukraine may prevail in this war, but we must continue to strengthen its resistance,” urging business leaders to continue their arms deliveries and financial support to Ukraine.

“Ukrainians need predictable funding through 2024 and beyond. They need a sufficient and sustained supply of weapons to defend Ukraine and take back its rightful territory,” he said from the Alpine city.

What's next on the Davos Forum agenda?

Great speeches are expected this Wednesday, January 17 at the financial congress. One of them is that of the new president of Argentina, who will make his first international trip as president and who for the first time will speak before global leaders about the economic situation of his country, which recently reached one of the highest inflation rates in the world, only below Lebanon.

Along with inflation, Argentina announced the printing of larger denomination banknotes

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Also on the agenda is the participation of the President of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez, who will be in Davos for the fifth consecutive time. According to analysts interviewed by the EFE agency, Sánchez would arrive with a speech that shows the strength of the Spanish economy, while seeking new investments from multinationals.

Emmanuel Macron, president of France, arrives at the event after the announcement of the change of his cabinet. He will be the only one of the G7 leaders who will be present at the event.

Finally, Wednesday is expected to be the day when the UN will have its space to talk about the recent conflicts and that the head of the organization, António Guterres, will talk about the war in Ukraine, which will turn two years old on February 24. ; of the recent conflict in the Middle East; of the Yemen Houthi attacks on international ships in the Red Sea and the consequences of climate change around the world.

With AP, Reuters and EFE