Russian attack on town grinds on with the Ukrainian president due in France and Germany
Volodymyr Zelenskiy has arrived in Germany this morning for a working visit and as part of a tour to drum up vital military assistance and sign bilateral security commitments as the war with Russia nears its third year.
After landing in Germany, Ukraine’s president posted an image to his Telegram account alongside Ukraine’s ambassador to Berlin and a German foreign ministry official, Reuters reports.
In the post, he said:
I am starting two important days. Meetings with partners in Germany and France, new agreements, and the Munich Security Conference.
A new security architecture for Ukraine, as well as new opportunities. We are making every effort to end the war as soon as possible on fair Ukrainian terms and ensure a lasting peace.
The trip comes as Kyiv’s troops are trying to hold back Russian forces closing in on the eastern town of Avdiivka. Ukraine faces a shortage of manpower and ammunition stockpiles, while US military aid has been delayed for months.
It will mark Zelenskiy’s first foreign trip since he replaced his popular army chief and reshuffled his military command, a big gamble at a difficult juncture in the war that he said was needed to face shifting battlefield challenges.
Germany and France are expected to sign bilateral agreements on security commitments with Ukraine today as Zelenskiy visits their respective capitals.
The details of the agreements to be signed with French president Emmanuel Macron and German chancellor Olaf Scholz are not yet known, but Kyiv has said it wants to use the first deal signed with Britain in January as a framework.
He is also expected to attend the three day EU security conference in Munich.
Ursula von der Leyen is pushing the boundaries of the EU urging member states to consider a collective defence role, something never imagined when the first European community was established more than 50 years ago
Anthony Blinken, US vice president Kamala Harris and homeland security Alejandro Mayorkas along with EU leaders von der Leyen, Olaf Scholz descend on Munich today for the three day security conference to which Volodomyr Zelenskiy is also expected to attend.
