Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday told the World Economic Forum in Davos that Russian President Vladimir Putin would pursue his invasion of Ukraine even if fighting pauses on the sprawling front.
“After 2014, there were attempts to freeze the war in Donbass. There were very influential guarantors, the Chancellor of Germany, the President of France. But Putin is a predator who is not satisfied with frozen products,” Zelensky said.
During his address, Zelensky also said Ukraine “must gain air superiority” over Russia in its war.
Zelenskyy was making his first trip to Davos as president after speaking by video in previous years.
He hopes to parlay the high visibility of the event into a bully pulpit to showcase Ukraine’s pressing needs, and allies will be lining up: An invitation-only “CEOs for Ukraine” session preceded his afternoon speech.
The corporate chiefs heard what kind of immediate assistance was needed and laid out how private and public sectors can help Ukraine rebuild one day.
The session also drew von der Leyen, NATO leader Jens Stoltenberg, German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck and the U.S. envoy for Ukraine’s economic recovery, Penny Pritzker, among others.
“It is important that you stand with us, I thank you for your support. It is very important to be here, to boost investment in Ukraine and support our economy,” Zelenskyy said at the event.
Later Tuesday, leaders of some of Ukraine’s key European allies — Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, Dutch Foreign Minister Hanke Bruins Slot and Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares Bueno — will participate in a session on the “horizons” for Ukraine.
* With AFP and AP
