'It's about supporting the very end of war': Ukraine's Zelensky seeks Asia's backing for its peace plan

Source: The Straits Times
Author: Wong Pei Ting

SINGAPORE - Diplomacy does work, but it requires the will and backing of the global community, said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the Shangri-La Dialogue on June 2.

He said this as he sought international support for an upcoming peace summit to be held in Switzerland on June 15 and 16. The summit is intended to show that there is a common understanding within the majority of nations on next steps towards peace in Ukraine, and to convey this to Russia.

That the civilised world has not allowed Ukraine to be seized by an aggressor shows that the international community puts stock in the rules-based order and respect for human life, said Mr Zelensky.

"We are convinced that our world wants to be united and be capable of acting in complete harmony," he said in a speech at the security dialogue's seventh and final plenary session on June 2.

He added: "Diplomacy does work, when it truly aims to protect lives."

The peace summit is "not even about weaponry support", stressed Mr Zelensky. "This is about the support of the very end of the war. It's about disrupting it, and doing it in all regions," he said.

Classic of the 46-year-old president, Mr Zelensky was casually dressed in a polo shirt as he addressed his decked-out audience of world leaders, defence ministers, chiefs of defence forces, senior officials and academics at the annual event at Shangri-La Hotel, Asia's premier security conference.

But there was nothing casual about his tone, which urged leaders present to help his people end the bitter war with the Russia which is into its third year.

Time is running out, Mr Zelensky said, as he made his call for international support for Kyiv amid fresh Russian offensives a fortnight ahead of the Ukraine-backed peace summit.

"Children are growing up in Putin's land, where they are taught to hate their homeland, and being told they have no families while their loved ones wait for them at home in Ukraine," he said.

"After the peace summit, when the global majority agrees on the common understandings and steps, the relevant parties will pass this to Russia," he added.

Mr Zelensky, who touched down in Singapore on June 1 with his Defense Minister Rustem Umerov in tow, was speaking as a last-minute addition to the discussion, titled Reimagining Solutions for Global Peace and Regional Stability.

The plenary had originally featured Singapore Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen and Malaysia Defence Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin, and the words "global peace" were added after Mr Zelensky's inclusion.