Zelenskyi wants to call on Nato-Ukraine Council for more airspace protection
Published: Tuesday, Apr 16th 2024, 21:20
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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 submit a request 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 Selenskyj, referring to the air defense in Israel, which successfully fended off Iranian air strikes at the weekend. Ukraine has repeatedly complained of serious damage 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 Selensky. Ukraine 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 equally strong joint defense.
In his speech, Selenskyj once again praised the efforts of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) to find a solution to the conflict. At a meeting with China's party and state leader Xi Jinping in Beijing, Scholz emphasized the country's weight on the world stage. As an ally of Russia, China has influence over Kremlin boss Vladimir Putin, who launched 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, one of the key points of which is the withdrawal of all Russian soldiers from Ukrainian territory. Russia criticizes this as "unrealistic". China also only wants to support a peace conference if both Ukraine and Russia take part.
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