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Singapore hosts key Asia defense summit with eye on Ukraine
5 hours ago5 hours ago
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius is attending the Shangri-La Dialogue. One of his priorities will be to rally support in the region for Ukraine amid the Russian invasion.
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Shangri-La hotel in Singapore with policemen in front
The Shangri-La Dialogue is a key Asian security forumImage: Vincent Thian/AP Photo/picture alliance
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius is set to attend a major Asian defense summit in Singapore at the start of a one-week trip to the region that will see him also visit Indonesia and India.
The Shangri-La Dialogue, run by British think tank the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), will this year host a number of key European delegates, including Ukraine’s defense minister, Oleksiy Reznikov, amid European efforts to bolster support for Kyiv amid the Russian invasion.
The summit from June 2-4 will also focus on European commitment to the Asia region as China’s increasing assertiveness raises concerns among its neighbors.
Who will be attending the summit?
Besides Pistorius and Reznikov, other major European figures at the summit will include EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell and Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas.
Defense ministers from the UK, the Netherlands and Sweden are also to attend.
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin will speak on Saturday about American “leadership in the Indo-Pacific,” while his Chinese counterpart, Li Shangfu, will talk about his country’s new security initiatives.
In a break with tradition, the two might not meet at the forum this year, with Li blacklisted by the US over his role in sending Chinese military supplies to Russia.
Pistorius is to address the summit on Sunday.
The event will be opened with a keynote address by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, whose country is a key US ally in the Pacific.
tj/kb (dpa, AP)
