Tag: Zelenskyy

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‘This will be the year of our victory’

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visits recaptured city of Izyum.(photo:Instagram)

Zelensky’s rallying call comes amid warnings that Russia could be planning an attack to coincide with the anniversary…reports Asian Lite News

As the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine marked a year on Friday, President of the war-torn nation Volodymyr Zelensky in a defiant statement said that “this is a year of our invincibility… this will be the year of our victory”.

In a social media post along with a short video showing the devastation caused by the year-long war, the President said: “On February 24, millions of us made a choice. Not a white flag, but a blue and yellow flag. Not fleeing, but facing. Facing the enemy. Resistance and struggle.

“It was a year of pain, sorrow, faith and unity. And this is a year of our invincibility. We know that this will be the year of our victory!”

Zelensky’s rallying call comes amid warnings that Russia could be planning an attack to coincide with the anniversary.

On Thursday night, there were strikes reported in the regions of Kramatorsk and Kherson, where the city’s main pipeline was damaged, reports the BBC.

On this day last year at 2.30 a.m., Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the launch of a “special military operation” in Ukraine during a televised speech.

At 3.27 a.m., the first explosions are heard in the capital Kiev, and more blasts are reported across the country as Ukrainians wake up to war

About an hour later, Zelensky confirmed reports of nationwide missile strikes following which the NATO activated its defence plans, that included more than 100 jets on standby and 120 allied ships at sea, from the Arctic to the Mediterranean

At noon that day, the then British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, addresses the nation, saying: “Our worst fears have come true and all our warnings have proved tragically accurate. President Putin of Russia has unleashed war… without any provocation and any credible excuse.”

Later that night, Zelensky called for general mobilisation and imposed martial law. He had also announced that 137 Ukrainians had died on the first day of the assault.

Since then, tens of thousands of people have died, entire cities have been destroyed and millions have fled Ukraine.

The UNHCR estimates more than 6.5 million Ukrainians are internally displaced and over 7.8 million refugees have left the country.

For 12 months, Ukraine’s armed forces have mounted a resilient defence, defying expectations in Moscow that the invasion would be completed in days, CNN reported.

Russian tanks never reached Kiev’s city centre; instead, they were pushed out of northern Ukraine, and stifled in grinding battles in the east and south.

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Ukraine slams Berlusconi after anti-Zelenskyy comments

This is not the first time Berlusconi’s comments have forced his party members and government allies to issue clarifications…reports Asian Lite News

New comments by former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi about Russia’s war in Ukraine have triggered anger in Kyiv.

“I would have never gone to speak to Zelenskyy, if I had been prime minister”, he told reporters in Milan on Sunday evening, commenting on a meeting between the Ukrainian president and Italy’s current Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Brussels last week.

Berlusconi, 86, went on to blame Zelenskyy fiercely for the “massacre of his civilians and soldiers”:

“If only he had stopped attacking the two autonomous Donbass republics, this would have never happened. I judge this gentleman’s (Zelenskyy) behaviour very negatively,” said Berlusconi.

On Monday, Zelenskyy’s top aide Mykhailo Podolyak hit back, branding Berlusconi “a VIP agitator, who barters his Putin friendship with Italy’s reputation. His words are damaging Italy”, Podolyak told Italian paper La Repubblica, while Kyiv’s foreign ministry accused him of “kissing Putin’s bloodstained hands”.

Italy’s government has moved to quickly to downplay Berlusconi’s comments, saying the country was giving “firm and convinced support to Ukraine”.

Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, an ally of Berlosconi, also commented, saying Berlusconi’s party, Forza Italia, “has always supported Ukraine’s independence”.

This is not the first time Berlusconi’s comments have forced his party members and government allies to issue clarifications.

A close ally of the Kremlin leader during his premiership, Berlusconi already caused an uproar last October when — in a leaked recording — he claimed that Vladimir Putin had sent him 20 bottles of vodka for his birthday, and he then reciprocated with bottles of Italian red wine.

Less than a month before, Berlusconi said Putin had invaded Ukraine to replace Zelenskyy’s government with “decent people”.

In that statement he even criticised the Kremlin’s invasion strategy, suggesting Russia should have focused on surrounding the Urakinian capital instead of spreading out.

The comments were described as “scandalous” at the time by opposition leader Enrico Letta and received widespread national and international condemnation.

Ukrainian soldiers undergo Leopard 2 tank training in Poland

A total of 105 Ukrainian soldiers undergo training in Poland to learn how to use the Leopard 2 tanks, the Ukrainian government-run Ukrinform news agency has reported, citing Polish military official.

Twenty-one tank crews together with technical personnel and tank maintenance teams began their training in Poland a week ago, said Krzysztof Sieradzki, head of the 10th Armored Brigade’s training group.

The Ukrainian forces train between 10 hours and 12 hours a day using the Polish Leopard 2 tanks and the same model supplied by Canada, Sieradzki said.

According to him, the training will last for about a month. Sieradzki did not rule out that a new group of Ukrainian military personnel would later arrive in Poland for training.

Last month, the German government decided to supply its Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine and green-lighted requests by other countries to do so. Poland is set to send a batch of 14 tanks to Ukraine.

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Zelenskyy proposes to convene Global Peace Formula Summit

Volodymyr Zelenskyy President of Ukraine.(photo:Facebook)

Ukrainian President stressed that G7 nations need to maintain financial, energy and social stability next year. He urged G7 nations to increase assistance to Ukraine in the gas field…reports Asian Lite News

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday proposed to convene a special summit – Global Peace Formula Summit to determine how to implement the Ukrainian Peace formula. Addressing the Group of Seven (G7) leaders on December 12, Zelenskyy called on the international community to demonstrate leadership in the implementation of the peace formula.

“I propose to convene a special summit – Global Peace Formula Summit – to determine how and when we can implement the points of the Ukrainian Peace Formula,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his address. “I invite you, as well as other conscientious countries, to show your leadership in the implementation of the Peace Formula as a whole or some specific points in particular,” he added.

In his virtual address, Zelenskyy called on G7 leaders to maintain support for Ukraine next year. He termed the first step a “new force” and called on G7 leaders to provide more military equipment, including modern tanks, artillery and long-range missiles, according to the statement released by the Ukrainian President’s office.

Ukrainian President stressed that G7 nations need to maintain financial, energy and social stability next year. He urged G7 nations to increase assistance to Ukraine in the gas field. He stressed that the attacks against Ukraine’s power plant have forced them to use additional gas than expected. In the third step, Zelenskyy called for new diplomacy and emphasised that Ukraine has always led the negotiation process.

“We need additional support over this particular winter. We are talking about the volume of about two billion cubic meters of gas that has to be procured additionally,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in the address.

In his address, Zelenskyy called on Russia to take a “concrete and meaningful step” towards a diplomatic settlement which he stressed is mentioned by Moscow regularly. He stated that they will have holidays and termed it a time for normal people to think about “peace, not aggression.” He called on Russia to demonstrate that they are capable of abandoning the offensive.

“Very soon we’ll have holidays celebrated by billions of people. Christmas – according to the Gregorian calendar or the New Year and Christmas – according to the Julian calendar. This is the time for normal people to think about peace, not aggression. I suggest Russia to at least try to prove that it is capable of abandoning the aggression,” Zelenskyy said.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy further said, “It would be right to start the withdrawal of Russian troops from the internationally recognized territory of Ukraine this Christmas. If Russia withdraws its troops from Ukraine, it will ensure a lasting cessation of hostilities.” (ANI)

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Modi speaks to Ukraine President Zelenskyy

Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Narendra Modi

The PM’s virtual call for a stop to the conflict comes days after Russian President Vladimir Putin had called for talks with the Ukrainian side…reports Asian Lite News

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a telephonic conversation on Tuesday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and conveyed India’s readiness to contribute to any peace efforts.

PM Modi expressed his firm conviction that there could be no military solution to the conflict and reiterated his call for an early cessation of hostilities and the need to pursue the path of dialogue and diplomacy, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).

The PM’s virtual call for a stop to the conflict comes days after Russian President Vladimir Putin had called for talks with the Ukrainian side.

The Prime Minister spoke to Zelenskyy a fortnight after he had told the Russian President that “now is not the time for war” as high prices of food, fertiliser and fuel had emerged as the major concerns of the world.

Besides speaking against a military solution and offering Indian mediation in peace efforts, PM Modi in his conversation with the Ukrainian President emphasised the importance India attached to the safety and security of nuclear installations, including in Ukraine. He underlined that endangerment of nuclear facilities could have far-reaching and catastrophic consequences for public health and environment.

The two leaders had last met at Glasgow in November 2021. Last week, India had maintained a balance while abstaining from a UNSC vote seeking to condemn Russia. India said it was “deeply disturbed” by the recent turn of developments in Ukraine and called for an immediate cessation of violence and hostilities. At the same time, it did not subscribe to the West’s attempt to bring Russia before the International Criminal Court. India has sent Ukraine several tranches of humanitarian aid while at the same time providing vital outlet for Russian commodities such as oil and coal that have been sanctioned by the West.

PM Modi’s virtual call for a stop to the conflict comes days after Russian President Vladimir Putin had called for talks with Ukraine. PM’s offer to Zelenskyy comes a fortnight after he told Putin “now is not the time for war”.

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Zelenskyy no to Johnson’s sanctuary offer

According to Russian President Vladimir Putin, the goal is to protect the people of Donbas, “who have been subjected to abuse, genocide by the Kyiv regime for eight years.”…reports Asian Lite News

Prime Minister Boris Johnson says he had offered Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his family refuge in the United Kingdom amid Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine.

Johnson told the Sunday Times that Zelenskyy has regular conversations with him and is an “absolutely charming guy but he’s also proved to be an inspiration.”

According to the British prime minister, the possibility of Zelenskyy and his family getting refuge in the UK had been discussed, but “Volodymyr has always been clear, his duty is to the Ukrainian people; he’s going to stay there, he’s going to look after them. I have to say I admire him.”

In the early hours of February 24, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine after the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics (DPR and LPR) appealed for help in defending themselves against the Kyiv forces. Russia said that the aim of its special operation is to demilitarize and “denazify” Ukraine and that only military infrastructure is being targeted – the civilian population is not in danger. Moscow has repeatedly stressed that it has no plans to occupy Ukraine.

According to Russian President Vladimir Putin, the goal is to protect the people of Donbas, “who have been subjected to abuse, genocide by the Kyiv regime for eight years.”

In response to Russia’s operation, Western countries have rolled out a comprehensive sanctions campaign against Moscow, which includes airspace closures and restrictive measures targeting numerous Russian officials and entities, media, and financial institutions.

‘Failure of talks with Putin would mean a World War III’

As Moscow has continued its invasion of Kiev, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that he is ready for negotiations with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, but warned that if the talks fail, it “would mean that this is a World War III”.

“I’m ready for negotiations with him. I was ready for the last two years. And I think that without negotiations we cannot end this war,” Zelensky said while speaking to CNN.

“I think that we have to use any format, any chance in order to have a possibility of negotiating, possibility of talking to Putin. But if these attempts fail, that would mean that this is a World War III,” he added.

As the invasion was nearing a month, the President told CNN that “we have always insisted on negotiations. We have always offered dialogue, offered solutions for peace”.

“And I want everyone to hear me now, especially in Moscow. It’s time to meet. Time to talk. It is time to restore territorial integrity and justice for Ukraine.”

Zelensky also listed his priorities for the talks, which are; “the end of the war, security guarantees, sovereignty, restoration of territorial integrity, real guarantees for our country, real protection for our country”.

The Ukrainian leader further said that if his country was a NATO member, there would have been no war.

“I’d like to receive security guarantees for my country, for my people. If NATO members are ready to see us in the alliance, then do it immediately. Because people are dying on a daily basis,” Zelensky said, while adding that he was grateful for the aid NATO has provided since the invasion began on February 24. When asked about how he was faring since the last 26 days of war, the President said he was “doing just everything that everyone else in Ukraine is doing”.

“We have made up our team to defend our country, so it seems to me that the person does not need to turn into anyone else. That is important when you can be just yourself,” he told CNN. “So I am holding up quite well.”

Zelensky also admitted that his weakest point was losing people and children in these “huge numbers”.

“I go to sleep with this information about children who were killed and we are continuing to pray in order to prevent new losses of people, but so far we haven’t attained these results,” he said, adding that “we are trying to defend our sovereignty, defend our country.”

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Zelenskyy urges NATO to impose no-fly zone over Ukraine

The Ukrainian President also said that he had warned NATO that without preventive sanctions, Russia would begin a war and that Moscow would use Nord Stream 2 as a weapon…reports Asian Lite News

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday urged North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to impose a no-fly zone over his country or see its member states attacked by Russia.

In his virtual address on Monday, Zelenskyy said: “I reiterate that if you do not close our sky, it is only a matter of time before Russian missiles fall on your territory, on NATO territory, on the homes of NATO citizens.”

He spoke a day after thirty-five people were killed and more than 130 injured when Russian troops launched airstrikes on a military training ground, near the border with NATO member Poland.

The Ukrainian President also said that he had warned NATO that without preventive sanctions, Russia would begin a war and that Moscow would use Nord Stream 2 as a weapon.

“I had warned NATO that without preventive sanctions, Russia would begin a war & that Moscow would use Nord Stream 2 as a weapon,” he said.

Earlier Russia claimed that it killed 180 “foreign mercenaries” in a missile strike on Yavoriv military training ground in western Ukraine, according to a media report. Kyiv, however, denied the report terming it “pure Russian propaganda”.

Meanwhile, Zelenskyy said that in a discussion with European Council President Charles Michel, special attention was given to the further negotiation process on Ukraine’s EU membership.

“Regular international talks. With President of the Council @eucopresident, we discussed the issue of increasing financial support for and sanctions pressure on the aggressor. Special attention was paid to the further negotiation process on Ukraine’s EU membership,” Zelenskyy tweeted.

He spoke with UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Petr Fiala Prime Minister of the Czech Republic and spoke about Ukraine’s struggle against Russian aggression.

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