Russia-Ukraine war has united Europe, NATO: Ukraine’s president
GENEVA
Ukraine’s president said Monday that the war Russia launched in Ukraine on Feb. 24 has united his country, sped up reforms, and united Europe and the NATO military alliance.
“Thanks to this reform of ours, we have actualized every of the basic value of Europe, just like the support of NATO countries implies that we have united the (NATO) Alliance,” said Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
He said people had become united for democracy thanks to what was happening in Ukraine.
The Ukraine president said that since the war started thousands of educational establishments had been destroyed, including schools, universities, and kindergarteners.
He said people had become united for democracy thanks to what was happening in Ukraine.
The president also said: “This unity has not been seen for thousands of years, and the reconstruction of Ukraine will also become our greatest reform.”
Zelenskyy noted that Russia was trying to destroy Ukraine, “and the Russian army is using artillery against kindergartens … a deliberate destruction of education space, a space where the socialization of the children takes place when they learn to be human.”
Leaders and foreign ministers from at least 38 countries and international organizations converged on the Swiss town of Lugano on Monday to forge a roadmap for Ukraine’s reconstruction after Russia’s full-scale war began in February.
Among those who arrived in Lugano for the two-day Ukraine Recovery Conference amid tight security were Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss.
Swiss President Ignazio Cassis met von der Leyen at the conference hall and held discussion with her before meeting Shmyhal on the banks of Lake Lugano in Switzerland’s Italian-speaking region.
International institutions such as the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development are also participating.
Achim Steiner, the administrator of the UN Development Program was leading the UN delegation.
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi was there and the World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus was also expected to attend.
The Swiss Foreign Ministry said: “The Ukraine Reform Conference … has been renamed the Ukraine Recovery Conference to reflect the new focus of the gathering.
“The way to rebuild Ukraine is through a broad-based political and diplomatic process.”
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