Zelenskyi wants to convene Nato-Ukraine Council – The night at a glance
Published: Wednesday, Apr 17th 2024, 05:10
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi wants to convene the NATO-Ukraine Council to improve the defense of his country's airspace based on the Israeli model. Ukraine will apply for the delivery of air defense systems and missiles, he said in his evening video message broadcast in Kiev on Tuesday evening. The people in Ukraine also have a right to protection from terror, said Selensky, referring to the air defense in Israel, which successfully repelled a major Iranian attack with drones, missiles and cruise missiles at the weekend. Ukraine has repeatedly complained of serious damage and fatalities following heavy bombardment by Russia, including with Iranian-made drones.
Ukraine is exposed to the same missile and drone attacks and human lives must be protected in the same way everywhere, said Selenskyj. His country was continuing to fight for real help from its allies. In his video address on Monday, Zelensky had already drawn parallels with Ukraine in view of the repulsed attacks on Israel and called for an equally strong joint defense of the allies.
The Nato-Ukraine Council last met in January at Kiev's request due to massive Russian missile attacks. Representatives of the 31 NATO states and Ukraine, which is under attack from Russia, also discussed improving the country's air defense. Kiev complains that too little is happening. The committee was set up last summer at the Alliance summit in Lithuania and is intended to facilitate closer cooperation until the conditions for Ukraine's admission to NATO are met. These include an end to the Russian war of aggression and reforms in Ukraine.
Selensky praises China and Scholz
In his speech, Selenskyj once again praised the Federal Chancellor's efforts to find a solution to the conflict. At a meeting with China's party and state leader Xi Jinping in Beijing, Olaf Scholz emphasized the weight of the People's Republic on the world stage. As an ally of Russia, China has influence over Kremlin boss Vladimir Putin, who ordered the invasion of Ukraine more than two years ago.
"China can really help to restore a just peace for Ukraine and stability in international relations," said Selenskyj. According to him, Ukraine is preparing for a world peace summit in Switzerland in mid-June, to which China, but not Russia, has been invited. China had launched its own peace initiative, which met with skepticism in Ukraine.
"The summit in Switzerland gives us all a real chance to really bring the UN Charter, its goals and principles to bear," said Selensky. He insists that only his peace plan be implemented, the key point of which is the withdrawal of all Russian soldiers from Ukrainian territory. Russia criticizes this as "unrealistic". China only wants to support a peace conference if both Ukraine and Russia take part.
In an interview with the US television station PBS, Zelensky defended Russia's exclusion from the summit in Switzerland, which is to be attended by around 100 countries. According to Selenskyj, Russia's foreseeable blockade stance at the meeting would only prevent a solution.
What will be important on Wednesday
A meeting of the foreign ministers of the Group of Seven (G7) industrialized nations on the Italian vacation island of Capri and a two-day EU summit in Brussels will also focus on aid for Ukraine. Selensky has been invited to the summit and is to report on the current situation in the defensive war against Russia via video link. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg are also expected to attend the G7 talks on Capri, which will last until Friday. Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) is taking part on behalf of Germany. Other member countries of the G7 are the USA, Canada, the UK, France, Italy and Japan. Italy is chairing this year's meeting.
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