"One man (Putin) stole 13 years of world peace, replacing it with pain, pain, pain that affects the whole world. Putin embodies war, he is the only reason why certain wars and conflicts persist and all attempts to restore peace have failed, and he will not change." He said it Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky speaking amidst applause and standing ovations at the World economic forum in Davos. An eagerly awaited speech aimed at bringing Ukraine back to the center of the geopolitical scene, after a month in which attention was catalysed by events in the Middle East. But Zelensky has no intention of turning off the spotlight on what is happening in Ukraine. It is no coincidence that he also met the US Secretary of State in Davos Antony blinken, just at the moment when the green light for new military aid is being discussed in the US Congress, and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. Zelensky also announced his intention to organize a peace conference in Switzerland.
Zelensky's speech in Davos
Why does Zelensky talk about "13 years of peace", stolen by Putin? Because the count includes not only the two years of war that began on February 24, 2022 with Russia's invasion of Ukraine, but also Crimea and Russian interference in African countries such as Sudan and Mali. “This year must be decisive – continued the Ukrainian president – freezing the war in Ukraine could be its end. Putin is a predator who is not satisfied with frozen food. We must defend ourselves, defend our children, our homes. The war will end with a just peace,” he said with conviction.
Zelensky did not spare any dig at Europe and the West in general, guilty in his opinion of having hesitated too much in supplying weapons to Kiev and in approving sanctions against Russia. “When we asked for certain weapons, they told us 'don't escalate, don't escalate'. Because of that 'don't escalate' how many opportunities, how much time, how many lives have been lost. I cannot believe that the Russian nuclear industry has not yet been placed under sanctions, even though Russia has taken a nuclear power plant hostage (the one in Zaporizhia, ed)”, he underlined, saying however that he was “grateful, very grateful for all the help given to us”.
“Whoever thinks that this war only concerns us, that it only concerns Ukraine, is greatly mistaken – continued the Russian president – Who in Europe can have an army like ours, which stops Russia? Isn't it better to put an end to this aggression now? Ukraine is the opportunity to stop the catastrophe of war”.
“We must obtain air superiority for Ukraine – he said again – as we achieved that in the Black Sea. We can do it, the partners know what we need and in what quantities. It would allow progress on the ground. Two days ago we proved that we can hit Russian planes that had not been shot down so far."
The Ukrainian president concluded his speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos by talking about the future: “What are we asking for? We will need investments, to create opportunities for Ukrainians to return from abroad. Strengthen our economy and we will strengthen your security."
The meeting between Zelensky and Blinken
Before his speech at the Davos Forum, the Ukrainian president met with the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken.
“A significant meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. We discussed the further defense cooperation between Ukraine and the United States. Air defense and long-range capabilities are particularly important for our country,” Zelensky wrote on social media, thanking the President of the United States, Congress and the American people for “constant and powerful help to Ukraine.”
"We count on continued support from the United States, which is essential for our country,” Zelensky underlined on X, while the green light for new military aid is being discussed in the US Congress. The president also informed Blinken and Jake Sullivan "of the current situation on the battlefield, the key tasks for the Ukrainian Defense Forces this year and the means necessary to fulfill them."
"We are determined to maintain our support for Ukraine and we work very closely with Congress” on this, he reassured on the side of Blinken said US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, after a meeting in Davos with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, while the US Congress is discussing the green light for new military aid. “I know that our European colleagues will do the same,” he added.
Putin: “We will not abandon the conquered territories”
Russia, however, does not intend to withdraw from the conquered territories in Ukraine. The Russian president said this Vladimir Putin. “As far as this negotiation process is concerned, they are trying to encourage us to abandon the territories that we have obtained in the last year and a half. But this is impossible, everyone understands that it is impossible,” Putin underlined, quoted by the Russian agency Ria Novosti. Putin added that the ideas put forward by Kiev to resolve the conflict through a peace process were "prohibitive". Zelensky's ten-point peace plan calls for the withdrawal of Russian forces, a cessation of hostilities and the restoration of Ukraine's borders with Russia.
Von der Leyen: “Russia is failing”
In the morning, the president of the EU Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, also spoke in Davos: “Russia is failing in its strategic objectives – he stated – It is experiencing a military failure, first and foremost. Russia did not conquer Ukraine, Ukraine pushed Russia out of half the territories it had occupied, and Russia lost half of its military capabilities. The failure is also diplomatic: Finland and Sweden are in NATO, Ukraine has never been so close to the path to accessing the European Union", analyzed the number one of the EU Commission.
“The invasion of Russia has an impact on the cost of living. We all bear the bruises of Putin's brutal invasion,” said von der Leyen, underlining however that “Two years later Europe has recovered the fate of its energy needs. In 2023 only 20% of European energy came from Russia."
Stoltenberg: “Difficult situation in Ukraine”
"The situation on the battlefield is extremely difficult, the great offensive launched last summer by Ukraine gave no answers" – said the number one of NATO Jens Stoltenberg, analyzing what is happening in Ukraine. “Overall Russia is pushing hard, you can never underestimate Russia, but there are also reasons for optimism – he continued – The most important thing is that Ukraine is surviving as an independent nation. I have faith that NATO allies will continue to support Ukraine, because they are not doing it for charity, it is in our interest. We must stand by Ukraine."
