Ukraine and its allies obtained support this Tuesday (11), in Berlin, to protect Ukrainian cities from Russian missiles and asked international companies to help with post-war reconstruction.
Kiev hopes a recovery conference will cement its credentials as a future member of the European Union.
In addition, Ukraine is also seeking injections of funding for reconstruction, even as Russian forces continue to make advances in eastern Ukrainian territory.
This weekend, Switzerland hosts an international conference to find a path to peace in Ukraine,
However, the event was rejected by China and considered a waste of time by Russia, which was not invited to participate.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in a press conference alongside German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, said that Russia has already destroyed enough energy infrastructure to supply the cities of Berlin and Munich together.
Zelensky hoped to come away with promises of billions of euros for defense and agreements to build a new, more modern energy system.
“Ukraine is suffering from the most destructive form of Russia’s weaponized energy vision,” Zelensky said.
Citing World Bank estimates that Ukraine could need $500 billion over a decade, Scholz said it was necessary to provide companies with a business case for investing.
The German Chancellor also spoke of Ukraine’s potential in sectors including renewable energy, IT and pharmaceuticals.
Scholz said Germany was sending more air defense systems to reinforce Ukraine against a series of Russian attacks on cities and critical infrastructure, more than two years after Russia launched a full-scale invasion of the country.
“The best type of reconstruction is the one that doesn’t need to happen,” said the German.
A Russian aerial bombing campaign that began in March has caused such severe damage to Ukraine’s production capacity that blackouts are occurring across the country.
Asked what he expected from the conference in Switzerland, which aims to generate support for Kiev’s peace proposals, Zelensky said the fact the meeting was taking place was a result in itself.
For the Ukrainian president, it became increasingly difficult to update countries on the situation as the war dragged on.
“It is important not to hand over (the initiative)… to Russia,” said the Ukrainian leader. “Because Russian initiative was demonstrated on the day of the full-scale invasion. Their vision is the occupation of our country,” he added.
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
