Shangri-La Dialogue: “Putin Believes he is Allowed to do Anything” says Zelensky

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky engaged with officials from the United States and Singapore and discussed the forthcoming Global Peace Summit during the International Institute for Strategic Studies’ (IISS) Shangri-La Dialogue held in Singapore on June 2nd.

Zelensky met with US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin and members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee to address several key issues, including the current battlefield situation in Ukraine, the country’s need for additional air defence systems, and the significance of Ukraine’s capacity to target Russian military positions near Kharkiv Oblast.

These discussions underscored the ongoing strategic and military support that Ukraine seeks from its international partners in its conflict with Russia.

In addition, Zelensky held meetings with Singaporean President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, and local business leaders.

During these engagements, he emphasised Ukraine’s desire to strengthen its cooperation with Singapore and the broader Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). This collaboration aims to foster economic and strategic ties, enhancing Ukraine’s position in the region and securing further international support.

A key highlight of Zelensky’s address at the conference was his announcement regarding the Global Peace Summit, scheduled to take place on June 15-16th in Switzerland.

He confirmed that 106 countries have committed to participating in the summit. However, Zelensky noted that Russia was not invited, attributing this to its role as the aggressor in the conflict.

Zelensky also raised concerns about Russian efforts to undermine the summit. He warned that Russian officials are attempting to dissuade other nations from attending by threatening to obstruct the import and export of essential goods such as food, agricultural products, and chemicals.

“Putin believes he is allowed to do anything.

“By the mid-2010s, Russia brought a war to our land – a war that we in Ukraine never, never, never wanted, did not provoke, and which expanded into the most treacherous invasion Europe has experienced since World War II.

“All of this was a series of diplomatic failures and constant attempts to keep the world divided into spheres of influence – which disrupts nations’ lives and corrupts global powers. As a result – war. – President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Despite these challenges, Zelensky stressed the importance of the summit as a crucial step towards resolving the ongoing conflict resulting from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Further reports from Ukrainian and Western media on June 2nd indicated that diplomatic sources in Saudi Arabia confirmed the kingdom’s decision not to participate in the Global Peace Summit.

This decision followed the May 31st announcement that the People’s Republic of China (PRC) would also not be sending a representative to the event.

Zelensky’s diplomatic efforts in Singapore and the details surrounding the Global Peace Summit illustrate the complex international dynamics at play.

The engagement with US and Singaporean officials highlights Ukraine’s strategic initiatives to garner support and bolster its defences, while the upcoming summit represents a significant attempt to rally global backing for a peaceful resolution to the conflict with Russia.

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