KIEV/LONDON (dpa-AFX) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj sees the reconstruction conference beginning this Wednesday in London as a new boost for his country, which has been marked by the Russian war of aggression. “A rebuilt Ukraine, a transformed Ukraine, a stronger Ukraine is (…) a guarantee of security, a protection against any form of Russian terror,” said Zelenskyj in his evening video message distributed in Kiev on Tuesday. At the meeting, which lasts until Thursday, states and large corporations want to announce aid for the reconstruction of Ukraine.
“The first meetings have already started in London,” said Zelenskyj. There have already been talks for reconstruction aid in Germany, Switzerland, France and Italy. It is not only about construction projects, but also about protection for Ukraine, said the President. He himself wants to present his philosophy of a Ukrainian transformation via video on Wednesday, and the “complete vision” is to be presented in the country itself at the end of the month.
Baerbock and Schulze at the reconstruction conference for Ukraine in London
Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) is expected to attend the two-day Ukraine Recovery Conference. The focus is on how private companies can be encouraged to invest in the country. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Development Minister Svenja Schulze (SPD) are also taking part. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is also expected.
As the British government announced, hundreds of international companies have already signaled that they want to participate in the reconstruction of Ukraine. In order to offer companies more security, the framework for war risk insurance, which is covered by the G7 countries, will be created. On the agenda, for example, is the issue of investment guarantees, with which the risk for companies can be reduced by the state. However, Kiev should also be obliged to implement reforms, for example to get a grip on corruption in the country.
At a meeting with his British colleague James Cleverly in London on Tuesday, Blinken urged Kiev to strengthen democratic institutions. He also pledged the support of the United States and other allies. In the coming year, Germany wants to host the Ukraine Recovery Conference.
Kiev: Ukrainian army active against enemy in south and east
In his video message, Zelenskyy once again said that the Ukrainian fighters were actively fighting the Russian occupiers. “Now our fighters are very actively destroying the enemy in the south and east and physically cleaning up Ukraine,” said Zelenskyy. “This will continue in the future.”
The Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maljar announced in the evening that the Russian troops offered strong resistance and mined areas. In the south, the offensive is going according to plan, she said. With no big, but confident steps, progress is made. Most recently, Ukraine had gained territory and liberated several villages. Maljar said that some Ukrainian forces are also on the defensive, while the Russians are on the offensive. She emphasized again that the main blow of the offensive was still to come.
Stoltenberg: NATO supports Ukraine in modernizing the military
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg promised Ukraine further aid to modernize the country’s military. “During the course of the summit, the Allies will adopt a multi-year aid package that will bring Ukraine up to NATO standards,” Stoltenberg told the “Tagesspiegel” (Wednesday) with a view to the meeting of the heads of state and government of the 31 member states in July Lithuanian capital Vilnius. “With our help, the Ukrainian military should make the transition from an army based on the old Soviet model to a modern military force that works according to NATO standards.”
US government overstates costs: 6.2 billion more for Ukraine
Because of miscalculated costs of military aid to Ukraine, the US government has more than $ 6 billion in additional support to Kiev. “In a significant number of instances, services were based on replacement cost rather than net book value, overestimating the value of equipment removed from US inventories and shipped to Ukraine,” Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said Tuesday. As a result, Washington now has an additional 6.2 billion dollars (around 5.7 billion euros) at its disposal. The Ministry of Defense has said it has the authority to use the money for military aid and stressed that there would be no impact on further aid packages.
UN Secretary-General disappointed with Grains Agreement implementation
Meanwhile, Ukraine is threatened with a halt to its grain exports across the Black Sea. UN Secretary-General António Guterres said he was “disappointed” with the current state of implementation of the grain agreement between Russia and Ukraine. Among other things, the ships are now being inspected more slowly, so that fewer freighters reach and leave Ukrainian ports and therefore less grain arrives at the recipients, Guterres said, according to a spokesman in New York on Tuesday. The food exports made possible by the agreement fell by around three quarters in May compared to last October.
The grain deal between Russia and Ukraine was brokered last summer by the UN and Turkey, ending Moscow’s naval blockade of Ukrainian ports. The agreement has already been extended several times, but most recently by only two months each time. The current extension is valid until around mid-July.
What will be important on Wednesday
In addition to the reconstruction conference, the Ukrainian offensive to liberate the territories occupied by Russia continues. So far, no breakthrough for Kiev is in sight. The Russian defense lines on the 815-kilometer front are considered to be solidly secured./mau/DP/zb