Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenksy arrived in Singapore on Saturday for an unannounced appearance at a meeting of defense chiefs from across the Asia-Pacific, as Ukraine's troops struggle to contain a major Russian advance in its northeast.
Zelensky's surprise presence at the meeting indicates Kiev's determination to keep the international community involved in Ukraine's defense – and its vision of peace – more than two years after Russia's invasion.
The Ukrainian leader earlier this month canceled international commitments while his troops defended against a surprise Russian offensive northeast of Kharkiv.
A team from CNN present at the summit witnessed the arrival of Zelensky and his delegation.
Participating in the Shangri-la Dialogue in Singapore provides a rare opportunity for Zelensky to potentially meet with defense chiefs from across the Asia-Pacific, including China, which has deepened its relations with Moscow since the war.
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and defense chiefs from US allies Australia, Japan and South Korea, as well as Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun, are expected to attend the three-party meeting. days.
Upon announcing his arrival at the meeting, Zelensky said in a statement on X that he would hold “a series of meetings”, in particular with Austin, the president and prime minister of Singapore, the president of Timor-Leste and Singaporean investors.
The Pentagon confirmed on Saturday (1) that Austin would meet with Zelensky and Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov in Shangri-La on Sunday (2), “to discuss the current battlefield situation in Ukraine and to underline the U.S. commitment to ensuring Ukraine has what it needs to defend itself against ongoing attacks.”
Zelensky arrives in Singapore weeks before a Ukraine-backed peace summit scheduled to be held in Switzerland, amid growing urgency in Kiev to bolster international support for its peace plan – especially in light of the impending US presidential elections, that they could see a change in the level of American support for their cause.
Ukraine is entirely dependent on international funds and weapons – and faces equipment shortages.
Months of political wrangling on Capitol Hill, as well as a lack of supplies from NATO countries, have kept Ukraine's forces significantly outgunned against Russia. A major $61 billion aid investment for Ukraine bill was finally approved by the US in late April.
On Friday (31), Zelenksy was in Sweden for a meeting with Northern European leaders, where he said that Ukraine's “top priorities” were to secure more air defense systems and weapons for Ukraine, as well as “global efforts to force Russia to make peace”, according to the leader’s post on the X platform.
In Asia, Zelensky can deliver a similar message.
The conflict, although a continent away, has been closely watched by governments across the region, especially those facing territorial disputes with another military and authoritarian power in the region, China.
The conflict in Europe is also widely considered to have impacted the security climate in Asia. Russia has cultivated a growing relationship with North Korea, which Western governments believe has supplied Russian forces with munitions in recent months.
Moscow and Beijing have also deepened their strategic partnership during Russia's war, with the US accusing China of bolstering Russia's defense industrial base with dual-use exports – and divisions between China and the West deepening over to Beijing's close ties with the Kremlin.
These exports were raised during a meeting on Friday between Austin and his Chinese counterpart, Dong Jun. Austin indicated to China that there would be consequences if Beijing continued to support Russia militarily, a senior US defense official said after the meeting.
Dong said China, which claims neutrality in the conflict, has honored its “promise not to supply weapons to either side of the conflict” and has strict controls on dual-use exports, according to the Chinese spokesperson.
Beijing also confirmed on Friday that it would not send a delegation to the upcoming Ukraine-backed peace conference in Switzerland, with its Foreign Ministry citing its view that any international peace conference should have “recognition of Russia and Ukraine, equal participation of all parties and fair discussion of all peace plans.”
Zelensky's 10-point peace plan calls for Russia to withdraw all its troops from Ukrainian territory and for the restoration of Ukraine's internationally recognized borders.
Zelensky has already made surprise appearances at global meetings to keep attention focused on the Ukraine situation and strengthen ties – he appeared at last year's Group of 7 (G7) summit in Japan.
It is unclear whether the Ukrainian president will have the opportunity to meet with Chinese officials during his stay in Singapore. Russia does not participate in the meeting.
In an interview with Russian state news agency RIA Novosti, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov suggested Thursday that China could organize a peace conference involving Russia and Ukraine.
Zelensky's arrival also comes as US President Joe Biden broke with long-standing policy of giving Ukraine permission to use American munitions for limited strikes on Russian territory near the Kharkiv border, the report said. CNN on Thursday (30), citing US authorities.
Top European leaders have also signaled a similar shift in position.
However, the US elections have raised uncertainty about the level of American support for Ukraine's war effort should fighting continue into next year – widely seen as adding yet another measure of urgency to Ukraine's push for peace in the its terms.
Biden, a staunch supporter of Kiev, is running for office against former President Donald Trump, who in the past refused to say whether he wanted Russia or Ukraine to win the war and raised questions about his commitment to the United States' NATO allies. USA.
Ivan Watson, Xiaofei Xu, Alex Stambaugh, Natasha Bertrand and Sharon Braithwaite from CNN contributed to the report.
Source: CNN Brasil
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