Ukraine’s president and top officials are in Davos, Switzerland, to attend the World Economic Forum and seek more aid and support from the international community as they face Russia’s ongoing invasion. Ukraine is presenting its peace plan and urging its allies to provide stable and predictable financing to help it defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Blinken Promises “Enduring” US Support for Ukraine
One of the key meetings for Ukraine was with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan on Tuesday. Blinken assured President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that the US is determined to sustain its support for Ukraine and is working closely with Congress to approve a $60 billion aid package that has been stalled for weeks amid political disputes.
The US funding for Ukraine is crucial as the White House warned that it would run out of money to assist Kyiv by the end of 2023 if more was not approved. President Joe Biden has called the delay in approving the aid the “greatest Christmas gift” for Russian leader Vladimir Putin, who has amassed over 100,000 troops near the Ukrainian border and continues to wage a hybrid war in the Donbas region.
Blinken and Sullivan also discussed with Zelenskyy the importance of continued global assistance to support Ukraine and strongly reiterated the US’s enduring support for Ukraine and its territorial integrity. They also expressed their appreciation for Ukraine’s contributions to regional and global security, including its support for the evacuation of Afghans after the Taliban takeover.
Ukraine Pushes Its Peace Formula at Davos
Another important event for Ukraine was the fourth meeting of the National Security Advisers (NSA) on the peace formula for Ukraine, which was attended by representatives of 81 countries and international organizations on Sunday. The meeting was held on the sidelines of the WEF and focused on Zelenskyy’s 10-point plan for ending the war with Russia, which was first presented in 2022.
The plan calls for:
- The restoration of Ukraine’s territorial integrity, including Crimea and Donbas
- The withdrawal of Russian troops and mercenaries from Ukraine’s territory
- The protection of food and energy supplies for Ukraine and Europe
- The enhancement of nuclear safety and security
- The release of all prisoners and hostages held by Russia and its proxies
- The implementation of the Minsk agreements and the Normandy format
- The establishment of a permanent international monitoring and verification mechanism in the conflict zone
- The creation of a humanitarian corridor for the delivery of aid to the affected population
- The promotion of dialogue and reconciliation among Ukrainians
- The support for the economic and social recovery of Ukraine
The peace formula has been endorsed by the US, the EU, NATO, and other partners, but rejected by Russia, which denies its involvement in the war and demands security guarantees and concessions from Ukraine and the West. Ukraine hopes that the international pressure and solidarity will persuade Moscow to accept Kyiv’s conditions and engage in a constructive dialogue to end the hostilities.
Ukraine Faces Challenges and Opportunities at WEF
Ukraine is also participating in the main sessions and panels of the WEF, which is held under the theme of “Working Together for a More Resilient Future”. Zelenskyy is expected to deliver a speech on Wednesday and highlight Ukraine’s achievements and challenges in the areas of democracy, reforms, innovation, and climate change.
Ukraine is also seeking to attract more investment and cooperation from the private sector and civil society at Davos. Zelenskyy and his team will meet with several business leaders and CEOs of global companies and present Ukraine’s potential and opportunities in various sectors, such as IT, agriculture, energy, and infrastructure.
Ukraine hopes to use the Davos platform to showcase its resilience and readiness to overcome the difficulties posed by the Russian aggression and the COVID-19 pandemic and to demonstrate its commitment to becoming a prosperous and secure European state.
