CONFLICTSUKRAINE
Ukraine’s Zelenskyy seeks closer ties beyond the West
60 minutes ago60 minutes ago
Speaking on the one-year anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Ukrainian president said he wanted China and India, as well as African and Latin American nations, to back peace in his country.
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday said his country needed to strengthen its cooperation with countries in Africa and Latin America amid Russia’s rising global influence.
“Ukraine really needs to take steps forward to meet the countries of the African continent,” Zelenskyy told reporters in Kyiv on the anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of his country.
“We didn’t work well for many years, we didn’t pay attention, I think it’s a big mistake,” he added.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine one year on
02:58
At a news conference marking one year since Russia launched the full-scale invasion, Zelenskyy called on Beijing and New Delhi to join the “Ukrainian peace formula” to end the war.
Kyiv’s plan calls for the full withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine’s territory, the release of all prisoners of war, security guarantees for Ukraine and a tribunal to bring Russian war criminals to justice.
Both China and India have maintained a neutral stance toward the war and kept close ties with Russia. The two countries were among 39 UN member states not to endorse a resolution calling for “just and lasting” peace.
The countries that abstained or voted against the vote were all in Africa, Latin America or Central Asia — where Russia has had increasing influence in recent years.
China’s peace proposal is ‘something’
Earlier on Friday, China presented a 12-point peace plan to resolve the war through political means. Ukraine’s allies, including NATO and the EU, expressed hesitancy and called out Beijing for its “no limits partnership” with Moscow.
“China has shown its thoughts. I believe that the fact that China started talking about Ukraine is not bad,” Zelenskyy said.
“But the question is what follows the words. The question is in the steps and where they will lead to,” he added.
The Ukrainian leader said there were points in China’s paper that he agreed with “and there are those that we don’t.”
“But it’s something,” he added.
One year into the war in Ukraine, three refugees look back
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fb/sms (AFP, AP, dpa, Reuters)
