Berlin (agencies)
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz expressed cautious optimism about holding a peace conference for Ukraine in Switzerland later this month.
Yesterday, Schulz said at a joint conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Berlin: “We will discuss the principles for a just and lasting peace there.”
Schulz stated: “These are not yet negotiations to end the war; Because for that, Russia will have to show its willingness to end this campaign and withdraw its forces.”
“But perhaps a way can be found to launch a process in which Russia has a seat at the table as well one day,” Schulz added.
Meanwhile, Germany and more than 50 international organizations, countries and companies at the Ukraine Reconstruction Conference held in the German capital, Berlin, launched an initiative to train 180,000 technical personnel for the reconstruction of the country.
Svenia Schulze, German Development Minister who belongs to Chancellor Olaf Schulz’s Social Democratic Party, said yesterday: “In this way, we provide important support to Ukraine in times of war and in reconstruction.”
Members of the Alliance of Technical Personnel “Skills Alliance for Ukraine” for reconstruction will allocate more than 700 million euros for this purpose.
The program is scheduled to last for three years, and particularly targets youth, internally displaced people, and women.
It is expected that about 2,000 representatives from political circles, the business sector and international organizations will attend the reconstruction conference, which will continue until Wednesday. The conference does not aim to raise funds for reconstruction, but rather to achieve communication between relevant actors.
The head of the United Nations Development Programme, Achim Steiner, believes that the Ukraine Reconstruction Conference in Berlin represents an important signal to the Ukrainian people.
Yesterday, Steiner said in statements to the German radio station “Deutschlandfunk”: “In the midst of a war like this, it is very important for people to have a feeling that there is hope for the future,” adding that the conference in Berlin will once again confirm the enormous global support that Ukraine receives, explaining It is about a common future perspective.
Steiner also referred to internally displaced people, explaining that there are 3.7 million Ukrainians who fled within their country and tried to build a new life for themselves.
Before the start of the conference, German Urban Planning Minister Clara Gevits also stressed the importance of the signal of support emanating from the conference, and said: “It is about sending a very clear signal that we stand with you in the reconstruction of Ukraine.”
On the field level, Russia announced yesterday its control of two additional villages in eastern Ukraine, continuing its slow progress that it began months ago in the face of an army that lacks sufficient equipment.
The Ministry of Defense said that Russian forces took control of Myasogarivka in the Lugansk region (east) and Timkivka in the Kharkiv region (northeast), which are two small villages located on the front.
Months ago, the Russian army regained control and made gains on the eastern and southern fronts, but without achieving any actual progress.
The day before yesterday, Moscow announced its control of a village in one of the rare sectors in which Ukrainian forces made progress during their counterattack last summer.
Moscow announced last week that its forces had controlled 880 square kilometers in Ukraine since the beginning of 2024 and fifty towns.
It also launched an attack in the Kharkiv region (northeast) on May 10, and captured many sites before being stopped by reinforcements sent by Kiev.
Ukrainian forces face a shortage of new recruits and weapons due to months of procrastination in delivering Western military aid.
This comes as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky began a visit to Germany yesterday to request more assistance from his European allies, ahead of two crucial summits for Ukraine this week, the “Group of Seven” in Italy and the peace conference in Switzerland.
The Ukrainian President urgently called for more support from international partners regarding air defense systems and the reconstruction of energy infrastructure.
Zelensky said yesterday at the International Conference for the Reconstruction of his country in Berlin: “We need at least seven additional Patriot systems to protect our large cities in the near future.”
Zelensky, whose speech was often interrupted by applause, personally thanked Chancellor Olaf Scholz several times for his support so far with the supply of anti-aircraft systems. Germany has already delivered two Patriot systems to Ukraine, and has promised to deliver another system, and Ukrainian soldiers are currently being trained on it.
Zelensky called for more support to rebuild the energy infrastructure, noting that nine gigawatts of Ukrainian energy were destroyed during the attacks, noting that last winter the peak of energy consumption reached 18 gigawatts, and he said: “This means that we no longer have half of what we have.” It meets the need,” adding that 80% of heating plants and a third of hydroelectric power plants were destroyed, noting that Putin is also targeting gas storage facilities.
Zelensky stressed that reconstruction would benefit everyone, and said: “Without your investments and without loans, we may not succeed.”
Zelensky described that it is very important to ensure energy supplies until next winter, adding that Ukraine knows how to manage the matter.
Zelensky again called for support for his country on its path to joining the European Union, explaining that Kiev has already met all the necessary requirements to begin accession talks to the Union. He added: “This month of June should be the time in which the negotiation framework is determined and the talks themselves begin.”
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