Ukrainian President Addresses World Economic Forum in Davos: Key Points
On 16 January, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy delivered a special address at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, as part of the panel "Achieving Security and Cooperation in a Fractured World". The Ukrainian president addressed those who doubt the continuation of support for Ukraine, talk about freezing the war, and want to reduce support.
Zelenskyy began his speech by noting that the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine has been going on for almost two years. He recalled that after 2014, there were attempts to freeze the war in Donbas and that the then German Chancellor and French Presidents were very influential guarantors of this process.
"But Putin is a predator who is not satisfied with frozen food," Zelenskyy said.
According to him, Ukraine has already proven that it can defeat Putin on land, sea and sky.
"We are normalizing the idea that aggression can be defeated - even Putin's aggression, which has been going on for ten years or more," the President said, emphasizing that support for Ukraine should continue.
"Because every decrease in pressure on the aggressor adds years to the war. But every investment in the confidence of the defender shortens the war," he said.
Zelenskyy also stressed that for almost 10 years, Moscow has been interfering in the affairs of African countries, from Sudan to Mali, and "the Syrian war, which is still bleeding because of Putin's decision to prove something to the world," has been going on for almost 13 years.
"One man has stolen at least 13 years of peace and replaced it with pain, hurt and crises that affect the whole world. Putin is trying to normalize what should have ended in the XX century - mass deportations, destroyed cities and villages and a terrible feeling that the war will never end," Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
The Head of State noted that "the possible directions and even the timeframe of new Russian aggression outside Ukraine are becoming more and more obvious". He also noted that the more losses Ukraine inflicts on Russia, the less dangerous the aggressor country becomes.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy added that sanctions against Russia and export controls do not stop missile production. The President of Ukraine pointed out that each Russian missile has critical components from many Western countries, which underscores Russia's dependence in this area, and called on all countries to strengthen sanctions on the sale of such components to the aggressor country.
Zelenskyy also expressed outrage that Russia's nuclear industry is not subject to sanctions, even though Putin has seized the largest nuclear power plant in Europe, the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine.
"There must be a strong decision this year, when frozen Russian assets, sovereign and oligarchic, will be used to defend against the Russian war and to rebuild Ukraine." Putin loves money above all else. The more billions he, his oligarchs, friends or accomplices lose, the more likely he will regret starting the war," Zelenskyy said.
He rejected the idea of revenge and supported the morale of Ukrainians, noting that revenge cannot be compared to justice.
According to Zelenskyy, the strength and treasure of Ukraine is its people, who have already demonstrated their intelligence, talent, modernity, ingenuity, courage and openness.