Ukraine collects pledges for peace conference – The night at a glance
Published: Thursday, May 23rd 2024, 05:20
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Ukraine is continuing to collect pledges for the planned peace summit in Switzerland in mid-June. "Today I spoke with the heads of state and government of Chile, Albania, Austria and Mozambique," reported President Volodymyr Zelensky in his video message on Wednesday. "Four more countries at the summit - I thank them." It is known that Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) will be attending the meeting on behalf of Germany.
Meanwhile, the heavy ground fighting against Russia's attacking troops continued, according to the Ukrainian General Staff. The evening report for Wednesday spoke of 121 battles. The majority of these took place in the Donetsk region in the east. At the same time, the Russian offensive in the border area near the large city of Kharkiv continued. Thursday marks the 820th day of the large-scale Russian invasion in Ukraine.
Austrian Chancellor Nehammer attends peace summit
At Ukraine's request, Switzerland is organizing a summit meeting on 15/16 June on the Bürgenstock near Lucerne. The aim is to mobilize more international support for the attacked country. Ukraine is hoping to convince neutral states or even those friendly to Russia in the south of its position. China in particular is being courted. The first step is not about negotiations with Russia; Moscow is not invited and refuses to take part anyway.
"Russian aggression has tried to turn the UN Charter into a museum piece," said Selensky in Kiev. "Our peace summit and the participation of leading politicians from all over the world can restore the UN Charter to full effectiveness and full protection for all nations."
Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) will attend the meeting from Austria, the Chancellery confirmed in Vienna. Nehammer called the conference an important step towards making peace possible again. What was needed was a "broad alliance of allies for peace, also outside the echo chambers of the EU".
Sweden gives 6.5 billion euros in military aid
Sweden is granting Ukraine a further 6.5 billion euros in military aid, spread over three years. This was announced by Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson in Stockholm. Selensky expressed his thanks for the aid in the evening. "This is really tangible and will strengthen not only us, not only Ukraine, but the entire European region from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea," said Selenskyj in a video message.
"Ukraine's cause is Sweden's cause," said Kristersson in a video published on the online platform X. Since the start of the Russian invasion over two years ago, his country has already put together 15 packages of military aid for Ukraine. The new military aid is to be spread over the years 2024 to 2026. Sweden joined NATO in the wake of the Russian attack and is one of Ukraine's biggest supporters.
Fierce fighting in the Donbass
Thursday night began unusually quietly for Ukraine, with almost no air raids. According to media reports, a missile flying towards the city of Dnipro was shot down by the air defense before midnight.
On the front in the east and south of Ukraine, the General Staff recorded the most battles in the Donbass coal and steel district. In the region northwest of the city of Avdiivka alone, 25 battles were recorded. "The enemy is particularly trying to penetrate our battle formations with assault groups and equipment," the military announced. A Russian Su-25 fighter jet was shot down in the region.
The military information could not be independently verified. However, Selensky also named the area as a focal point of the fighting.
Regarding the front opened in mid-May in the border area near Kharkiv, the Ukrainian military stated: "The defense forces have the situation under control and our defenders are putting up a worthy resistance." The fighting there was concentrated on the villages of Lipzy and Starytsya and the small town of Vovchansk.
©Keystone/SDA
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