Ukraine tops the agenda at Munich Conference

Western support for Ukraine has been at the top of the agenda at the Munich Security Conference, an annual meeting of heads of state, officials, diplomats and experts in Germany.

Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, reiterated calls for Western allies to be sending weapons to Kiev as he opened the three-day video-related summit on February 17th.

He said Russia should not be allowed to buy out time for its aggression until Ukrainian forces are facing numerous attacks across the front line.

We must accelerate. We need speed in the deal, speed in the shipment.... Speed in decisions to limit Russian potential”, Zelensky said at the Munich Security Conference.

Some 40 heads of state, as well as politicians and security experts from almost 100 countries, such as the leaders of France and Germany, are participating, but also US Vice President Kamala Harris, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and the chief of state NATO, Jens Stoltenberg.

During the conference, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said his state's support for Ukraine “is designed to be long-term”.

Meanwhile, France's President Emmanuel Macron said it is extremely important that Western allies step up military aid so that Ukraine can launch a counteroffensive against Russia.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine began on February 24, 2022, completes a year next week. / REL