Ukrainian President Zelensky appealed for further support at the security conference. There is a lack of long-range weapons. Kremlin boss Putin must not succeed in turning the next few years into a catastrophe.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called on his country’s supporters to step up their efforts against Russian aggression and President Vladimir Putin. “If we don’t act now, Putin will succeed in turning the next few years into a catastrophe,” Zelensky said at the Munich Security Conference.
The longer the war lasts, the greater the risk of expansion and further damage to the international order, the president warned.
Ukraine must gain air sovereignty in order to have success again on the fronts in the defensive battle against Russia. This would initially require more anti-aircraft systems, said Zelensky. “We don’t have enough of it.” In areas where Ukraine has air sovereignty, life can return to normal. In addition, air sovereignty offers the soldiers on the ground the opportunity to make further progress.
“Our main weapons are precisely our fighters”
He also called for more long-range weapon systems. “There are no long-range weapons. Russia has them, we have very few of them. That’s the whole truth. Therefore, our main weapons are precisely our fighters.” Ukraine’s actions are currently only limited by a lack of funds. “Weapons packages, anti-aircraft packages, that’s exactly what we expect.”
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.
“Putin is a danger to all free nations”
Russia has only one decisive advantage in its war of aggression against Ukraine: “Human life has no value for the Russian state,” said Zelensky. Russian President Vladimir Putin “kills whoever he wants.”
Only a day earlier, Putin sent a clear message to the security conference by murdering a Russian opposition figure, said Zelensky, referring to the death of imprisoned government critic Alexei Navalny. “Putin is a danger to all free nations.”
It must be clear that there are only two options for Putin’s future: either the Russian president ends up before the International Criminal Court in The Hague or he is killed.
Scholz calls for more military aid for Ukraine
Zelenskyj spoke immediately after Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s appearance at the security conference and thanked the German security agreement, which is a promise of long-term support and further arms deliveries.
In his speech, Scholz called on the EU partners to provide more financial aid for Ukraine. For the current year, Germany has almost doubled its military aid to more than seven billion euros, with commitments for the coming years amounting to six billion euros, said the SPD politician. He would very much like “similar decisions to be made in all EU capitals.”
The USA has also provided Ukraine with a little more than $20 billion in military aid per year since the start of the war – with a gross domestic product of $28 trillion. “A comparable effort must be the minimum that every European country undertakes.”
“Greatest Security threat on our continent”
The Russian attack on Ukraine is “the biggest security threat on our continent,” argued Scholz. In view of the threat from Russia, the Chancellor also called for “credible” deterrence by Western alliances: “The threat from Russia is real. That is why our ability to deter and defend must be credible – and remain credible.”
It is important to further strengthen the “European pillar of NATO,” said Scholz. “We Europeans have to be much more concerned about our own security.” This applies “regardless of how Russia’s war in Ukraine ends” and “whatever the outcome of upcoming elections on either side of the Atlantic,” said the Chancellor, referring to the election of the US President in November.
Russia has not achieved “any of its war goals,” Scholz continued. Despite “enormous losses of our own,” however, “significant parts of the Russian armed forces are intact,” he continued. Germany is therefore “determined” to continue on the path of support for Ukraine. Only if the Europeans are credible in their support of Ukraine “then Putin will also understand that there will be no dictated peace at the behest of Moscow.”
Scholz for a permanent increase in the Defense spending
Scholz announced a permanent, long-term increase in German defense spending. “Germany is investing two percent of its gross domestic product in defense this year and in the coming years – in the 1920s, the 1930s and beyond,” said the Chancellor. “Without security, everything else is nothing,” he added.
Only if everyone in Europe provides the necessary resources in solidarity and in the long term will the arms industry reliably increase its production. Scholz also mentioned that they are talking to France and Great Britain about “the development and introduction of future capabilities such as stand-off precision weapons.”
“Taurus” delivery remains open
When asked whether Germany would still deliver “Taurus” cruise missiles to Ukraine, Scholz evaded the question. Germany is already doing a lot for Ukraine; production needs to be increased, especially when it comes to ammunition. “Step by step, depending on the situation, we decide what needs to be done at the right moment,” he adds.