Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made people sit up and pay attention to the Munich Security Conference: he invited former US President Donald Trump to visit the front in Ukraine. In doing so, Zelensky sent a signal to Republicans who are loyal to Trump and who are blocking urgently needed US military aid. The head of state of Ukraine also found clear words for Vladimir Putin.
“I am ready to go to the front with Trump,” Zelenskyj said after his speech when asked whether he would invite the former head of state, who wants to become US president again, to Kiev. Because the decision makers need to be shown what real war means: “Not on Instagram, real war”.
‘Putin kills whoever he wants’
On Saturday at the Munich conference, the Ukrainian president declared that Russia had only one decisive advantage in its invasion: “Human life has no value for the Russian state,” Zelensky said. “Putin kills whoever he wants.” He mentioned the fighting for the city of Avdiivka, from which the Ukrainian army now had to withdraw. There are seven dead Russians for every dead Ukrainian, Zelensky said, emphasizing: “It is a tragedy to lose just one.”
About the withdrawal, he said it was the right decision because they were waiting for arms deliveries. ‘We don’t have enough long-range weapons. We are waiting for the support of our partners,” Zelensky called on Western countries. He called on the international community to be decisive in the fight against Russia. “If we don’t act now, Putin will succeed in turning the world into a catastrophe.”
Air sovereignty as the main goal
To be successful again against Russia, Ukraine must gain air sovereignty. To achieve this, more air defense systems are initially needed, Zelensky says. “We don’t have enough of it.” In areas where Ukraine has air sovereignty, normalization of life is possible. And: “It will be possible for our soldiers to make progress.” In this context, Zelensky also referred to the importance of drones: “We will be able to surprise them this year,” he said, referring to the Russian armed forces.
Referring to the death of Kremlin opponent Alexei Navalny, who Russian prison authorities said died Friday in a Siberian penal colony, the 46-year-old said Putin had sent a clear message to the security conference by killing a Russian opposition figure. . This murder showed that Putin is not the legitimate leader of Russia, but “a danger to all free nations,” Zelensky said. There are only two options for Putin: either end up before the International Criminal Court in The Hague or be murdered by his own people.
Germany doubled military aid
Earlier, during his appearance at the security conference, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz urgently called on EU partners to provide more financial assistance to Ukraine – in the interests of their own security. For the current year, Germany has almost doubled its military aid to more than seven billion euros, with pledges for the coming years amounting to six billion euros, Scholz said. He would like to see something similar from all EU countries.
The Chancellor admitted that there are “critical voices asking: shouldn’t we spend the money for other purposes?” Moscow is fueling such doubts with targeted disinformation campaigns on social media. “Money that we spend on our security now and in the future is not available anywhere else. We feel that,” Scholz admitted. “But I also say: without security, everything else is nothing,” the SPD politician paraphrased a quote from former German Chancellor Willy Brandt.
Dodging the Taurus question
However, during his appearance, the German Chancellor dodged the question of whether Germany would still supply Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine. Production must be increased, especially that of ammunition, he said. “We then determine step by step, depending on the situation, what needs to be done at the right time,” he continues.
Russian economy ‘in war mode’
Scholz pointed out that after two years of war, the Russian armed forces were intact despite enormous losses. “Russia has been preparing its army for this war for many years and has developed new, dangerous weapon systems at all levels. The Russian economy has been operating in war mode for a long time.” Putin is sending more and more soldiers to the front. On the other hand, people in the West must wonder whether enough is being done to signal to Putin that they are ready for a long period of crisis.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
