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Scholz and Zelenskyj awarded “World Citizen Prize”.
Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD, l) and Volodymyr Selenskyj, President of Ukraine, at their bilateral meeting after the meeting of the UN Security Council. photo
© Michael Kappeler/dpa
Climate summit, speech to the UN General Assembly and Security Council meeting on the war in Ukraine: Chancellor Scholz spends three days in New York. At the end he gets a prize – and not just him.
Scholz said he was honored to receive the award along with Zelensky. “Russia’s brutal war of aggression against Ukraine is being fought in Europe – but it is also an attack on the fundamental principles of our international order,” he said. The Chancellor once again promised Zelensky support for the war against the Russian aggressors for as long as it was necessary.
Zelenskyj on pomp: “This is not my world”
Zelensky dedicated the award to the soldiers fighting against the Russian invaders and to the children and women killed by “Russian terrorists.” But he also dedicated it to all the “courageous states that are at our side and have supported us” – as well as all the people who fought for freedom around the world, like Ukraine.
Regarding the pompous setting of the award ceremony on Wall Street in the heart of Manhattan’s financial district, Zelensky only said: “This is not my world.” He excused his short speech by saying that he had an important conversation to have with US President Joe Biden in Washington this Thursday. “I have to save energy.”
Scholz speaks with Zelenskyj for 30 minutes – also about Taurus?
Before the award ceremony, Scholz met the Ukrainian president for a 30-minute conversation in New York. Government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said afterwards that Zelensky had thanked German military aid, especially for artillery and air defense.
It initially remained unclear whether the conversation was also about the Taurus long-range cruise missile desired by Ukraine. Scholz has so far remained cautious about supplying weapons of this new quality. He wants to avoid the missiles, which have a range of 500 kilometers, from hitting Russian territory. We are currently examining how this can be technically ruled out.
Relations with the US “stronger than ever”
In his speech, Scholz also emphasized that the transatlantic relationship had been strengthened in the wake of the Ukraine crisis. “I’m proud to say today: Our relationship with the United States is stronger than ever.”
Kishida and Yellen are also among the award winners
Each year during the UN General Debate, the Global Citizen Awards honor individuals “who have contributed to driving positive change in their societies and who embody a commitment to international cooperation.” The prize was presented at a commercial gala dinner, for which the cheapest tickets cost $2,500 (2,336 euros).
Other award winners this year included Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and First Eastern Investment Group boss Victor Chu. The award ceremony marked the end of the Chancellor’s three-day stay in New York, his second official trip as head of government, during which he was accompanied by his wife Britta Ernst.