Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sees Russia's defeat in the ongoing war coming closer after the European solidarity summit in Moldova. Thursday's meeting with the heads of state and government was used in the best possible way to mobilize aid for Ukraine and force the defeat of the "terrorists", Zelenskyy said in his evening video message, which was recorded in Moldova after the summit of the new European Political Community (EPC). The time is near when Russia will be held accountable for its murders, he said.
Zelensky had met several heads of state and government in Moldova, who assured further help to Ukraine, which has been attacked by Russia. "We are preparing new decisions for the defense of Ukraine, including anti-aircraft defense, combat aircraft and our advance on the ground," he said. A package of security guarantees on the way to NATO and a peace summit to implement Kiev's proposals for an end to the war are also being prepared. A core demand of Zelensky's peace plan revolves around the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine. Russia rejects this.
Scholz gives Ukraine little hope of joining NATO quickly
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz gives Ukraine little hope for a quick invitation to join NATO. The SPD politician made it clear on Thursday evening after the summit meeting that a speedy admission of the country is not guaranteed, even after an end to the Russian war of aggression. "There are very clear criteria for membership," Scholz said. According to him, this also means that a country has no border conflicts.
On the question of possible other security guarantees for Ukraine after the end of the war, Scholz said that these would have to be designed in such a way that the country would have security against the danger of attack and at the same time be stabilised. In addition, the security guarantees must be taken seriously not only by Ukraine, but also by everyone else. Scholz was not more specific. There could still be different opportunities for development, he said.
Zelensky had previously called for a "clear invitation" for his country's NATO membership at the alliance summit in Lithuania in July. "We need peace. Therefore, any European country that borders Russia and that does not want Russia to tear it apart should be a full-fledged member of the EU and NATO," he said at the summit. The only alternatives are open war or a cruel Russian occupation.
Zelensky complains about problems with shelters in Kyiv
In his video message, Zelensky stressed that, apart from military aid from abroad, Ukraine itself must also do more for the security of its citizens. He reiterated demands that a sufficient number of bunkers must be accessible everywhere. "The situation, like last night in Kyiv, when people came to the shelter and it was locked, must never happen again," he stressed. It is the duty of the municipalities to ensure that the shelters are open around the clock.
In Kiev, Mayor Vitali Klitschko had ordered the opening as well as controls after a breakdown on Thursday. "It hurts to see negligence in these commitments. It hurts to see the dead," Zelenskyy said. Those responsible must be held accountable.
According to the authorities in Kyiv, three people had been killed in new Russian missile attacks, including a nine-year-old child. Zelensky accused Russia of continuing its "terror" even on International Children's Day.
Fighting in the Russian border region of Belgorod
Meanwhile, the situation in the Russian region of Belgorod, which borders Ukraine, remained tense. Russia's military again "destroyed" more than 50 fighters, as well as tank technology and military equipment, after new attacks from the Ukrainian side in the border area, according to official information from Moscow. The "Kiev regime" shelled the city of Shebekino, where there is also a border crossing for vehicles, on Thursday, the Ministry of Defense in Moscow said. In the afternoon, the ministry had announced that it had prevented a breakthrough of fighters. Initially, the information could not be independently verified.
People fleeing the region spoke of "devastating destruction" in the city, of which Russian state television showed only a fraction. A video showed the roof of a long block of flats on fire. The region has been shaken for days by attacks with dead and injured.
Once again, the "Russian Volunteer Corps" and the "Freedom of Russia" Legion claimed responsibility for the attacks. They wanted to bring freedom, peace and tranquility to Russia, the fighters who are deployed on the side of Ukraine said. The Ukrainian government emphasizes that it has nothing to do with the attacks.
Russia launched a war of aggression against Ukraine more than 15 months ago and is shelling the territory of the neighboring country on a daily basis. Deaths, injuries and severe destruction are part of everyday life in Ukraine. But the Russian border regions are now also complaining about increasing shelling from the Ukrainian side.
Against the backdrop of the Russian attacks on Ukraine, the Baltic Sea countries are meeting in Wismar to discuss how the resilience of democracies in the Baltic Sea region can be strengthened. Germany holds the Presidency of the Council of the Baltic Sea States until the end of June. Russia's membership in the regional organization, which was founded in 1992, was suspended at the beginning of March last year. As a result, Moscow declared its withdrawal in May 2022. Until the attack on Ukraine, the Council was one of the rounds in which concrete cooperation on technical issues with Russia was possible.