Zelensky meets with heads of state in Singapore, urges support for security summit

Ukrainian President Voldymyr Zelensky, in the Shagri-La Diagloun on Sunday, said diplomacy in the form of a peace summit later this month is the most likely way to end a cruel <x0-war” that has killed thousands of people in his country since 2022.

In a question-view speech and session at the security conference in Singapore, Zelensky said 106 countries and organisations had signed for the peace summit in Switzerland.

He said it is disappointing that some world leaders had not yet offered their support, while added that Russia was trying to undermine peace efforts.

“We are convinced that our world wants to be united and able to act in full harmony”, Zelensky said, Reuters reports, broadcast Klakosova.tv.

He also thanked the countries, including the United States, Germany and the Netherlands, for their military assistance, especially with air defence systems.

Zelensky mentioned a Russian attack Sunday with nearly 100 rockets something he said had happened hundreds of times where, to say, no country could afford this alone”.

Ukrainian President and Defence Minister Rustem Umerov held talks with US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin for more than an hour Sunday in conference margins prior to his speech.

Austin informed Zelensky of Washington's military assistance to Kiev and “reaffirmed the US commitment to maintaining strong support” during the meeting, a Pentagon official said, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue.

The two leaders pledged to further strengthen the strategic defence partnership between the United States and Ukraine”, the Pentagon official said.

In a speech to delegates Sunday, Chinese Defence Minister Dong Yun said his country had been careful not to support either Russia or Ukraine. Beijing has decided not to attend the Swiss summit.