Almost two years after the start of the war, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj called for solidarity among the international community against Russia and more long-range weapons. “There are no long-range weapons. Russia has them, we have very few of them. That’s the whole truth. Therefore, our main weapons are precisely our fighters,” he said in his speech at the Munich Security Conference. “Weapons packages, anti-aircraft packages, that’s exactly what we expect.”
Zelenskyj spoke immediately after Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD). While he tried to be confident in his speech and spoke of a “silver lining” on the horizon, Zelensky warned of the consequences of the “artificial weapons deficit” and “self-weakening”.
Zelensky: Putin wants to make the next few years a catastrophe
“2024 expects a reaction from all of us,” Zelensky said, according to the official translation. Ukraine has now stood against Russia for 724 days. “Our resistance prevented the destruction of the rules-based world.” However, the longer the war lasts, the greater the risk of expansion and further damage to the international order.
“If we don’t act now, Putin will succeed in turning the next few years into a catastrophe,” said Zelensky, who also warned of dangers for other European countries in his speech: “We have to act together in a team. If Ukraine alone stands there, then you will see what happens: Russia will destroy us, destroy the Baltics, destroy Poland – it is capable of it.”
New US aid for Ukraine “vital”
After a meeting with US Vice President Kamala Harris on the sidelines of the conference, Zelensky urged the US House of Representatives to release military aid to Ukraine that had been blocked for weeks: “We are counting very much on the positive decision of Congress. For us, this package is vital. ” But he doesn’t think “that our strategic partner can afford not to support Ukraine.”
According to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, the domestic political dispute in the USA is increasing the ammunition shortage in Ukraine. He couldn’t give details, but he could say that, for example, there had been declines in the country’s supply of standard ammunition and certain types of air defense equipment, the Norwegian said on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference.
Scholz calls for NATO cohesion and counters Trump
In his speech, Scholz had previously warned against weakening the will to common defense in NATO in view of the Russian threat. “Let me also make it clear: Any relativization of NATO’s guarantee of assistance will only benefit those who – like Putin – want to weaken us,” he said.
Scholz probably reacted to statements made by Donald Trump. The promising Republican US presidential candidate said he would not support NATO partners with low defense spending in the event of a Russian attack. For his part, Zelensky emphasized that he had already invited Trump to Ukraine.
Addressing critics of defense spending in Germany, Scholz explained: “We are missing the money that we spend on our security now and in the future. We feel that. But I also say: without security, everything else is nothing.”
Scholz therefore also called on the EU partners to provide more financial aid for Ukraine. Germany has almost doubled its military aid to more than seven billion euros, with pledges for a further six billion euros. He would very much like “similar decisions to be made in all EU capitals.” Europeans must pay more attention to their security – “now and in the future”.
Pistorius expects the conflict to last decades
According to Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD), the Western allies must prepare for a decades-long conflict with Russia. A common European security architecture has not been achieved.
“Now, unfortunately, we will have to live with dividing lines in Europe for the coming decades: free and democratic Europe on the one hand, authoritarian and warmongering Russia on the other,” said Pistorius and warned: “Effective deterrence is our life insurance.”
Scholz evades the question about Taurus cruise missiles
The Chancellor emphasized that German support for Kiev was “broad and extensive, but above all it is long-term.” However, Scholz avoided the question of whether Germany might still deliver Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine in an interview after his speech. Ukraine had already officially requested the missiles with a range of 500 kilometers and high accuracy last May. In October, Scholz said that Germany would not deliver them for the time being. The fear behind this is that the cruise missiles could hit Russian territory.
“Russia has been preparing its army for this war for many years and has developed new, dangerous weapon systems at all levels. The Russian economy has long been operating in war mode,” said Scholz. Putin is sending more and more soldiers to the front. Everyone should ask themselves whether enough is being done. “More than ever, we must ensure that our deterrence meets modern requirements.”
Rheinmetall, on the other hand, is planning to build a new plant to produce artillery ammunition in Ukraine. The German defense company and a Ukrainian partner company signed a declaration of intent on the sidelines of the 60th Munich Security Conference, the company announced.
China as a moderator for peace
At the conference, China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi once again called for a diplomatic solution to the Ukraine war. China is working to pave the way for peace talks, prevent a vicious circle and stabilize the situation, he said, according to the translation. The security interests of both countries must be recognized. Wang Yi again avoided condemning Russia’s attack.
