KYKIV: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Saturday his country was a “shield” against Russia and deserved more support in the face of a feared invasion, as Moscow test-fired nuclear-capable missiles in a show of force.
Addressing the Munich Security Conference, Zelensky condemned “a policy of appeasement” towards Moscow.
“For eight years, Ukraine has been a shield,” said Zelensky, who travelled to Munich despite shelling in his country’s conflict-torn east that left two Ukrainian soldiers dead.
“For eight years, Ukraine has been holding back one of the greatest armies in the world,” he added.
Zelensky called for “clear, feasible timeframes” for Ukraine to join the US-led NATO military alliance — something Moscow has said would be a red line for its security.
But the Ukrainian leader also said he was willing to meet with Vladimir Putin, to find out “what the Russian president wants”.
Western officials in Munich continued to raise the alarm about Moscow’s intentions towards Ukraine, after US President Joe Biden said Friday he was “convinced” Putin planned to invade, including with an attack on the capital Kyiv, within days.
They again warned of enormous sanctions if Russia attacks, with US Vice President Kamala Harris saying this would only see NATO reinforce its “eastern flank”.
Germany’s Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, however, warned against jumping to conclusions, toning down the rhetoric after Washington’s fierce warnings of an imminent invasion.
“In crisis situations, the most inappropriate thing to do is to somehow guess or assume,” Baerbock told reporters, after being repeatedly pressed on whether Germany shared Biden’s assessment.
“We do not know yet if an attack has been decided on,” Baerbock said on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference.
Zelensky also pushed back against Washington’s dire predictions in Munich.
“We do not think that we need to panic,” Zelensky told the audience of top-level officials and security experts from around the world.
