Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is emphasizing the importance of President Biden’s attendance at an upcoming peace summit aimed at gathering support to halt the war and pressure Russia, which currently occupies a significant portion of Ukraine’s territory. While the U.S. has shown support for the summit, Biden’s attendance remains uncertain. Zelenskyy stated that if Biden were to miss the summit, Russian President Vladimir Putin would applaud his absence. Ukraine hopes to host as many countries as possible to unite opinions on how to stop the war and increase pressure on Russia.
During a joint press conference in Brussels, Zelenskyy expressed his uncertainty about whether Biden would attend the summit, but stressed that the event would benefit from the presence of the U.S. president. Zelenskyy believes that Putin would celebrate Biden’s absence as a show of weakness on the part of the United States. He also called on Chinese President Xi Jinping, a close ally of Putin, to attend the summit, emphasizing the need for international leaders to come together in support of Ukraine. Russia has already announced that they see no point in participating in the conference.
Zelenskyy’s plea for Biden to attend the summit comes as Kyiv’s forces face a concerted Russian offensive in eastern Ukraine. The conflict between Ukraine and Russia escalated in February 2022 when Russia launched a full-scale invasion. Russia currently occupies almost a fifth of Ukraine’s territory, leading to a humanitarian crisis and ongoing violence in the region. Zelenskyy’s goal is to gather as much international support as possible to pressure Russia to end the war and return the occupied territories to Ukraine.
The peace summit organized by Kyiv aims to bring together world leaders to discuss strategies for ending the conflict and finding a resolution to the crisis in Ukraine. Zelenskyy hopes that by hosting the summit, countries can unite in their efforts to halt the war and increase pressure on Russia to withdraw its forces from Ukrainian territory. The support of President Biden, as well as other key leaders, is seen as crucial to sending a strong message to Putin that the international community stands united in support of Ukraine.
Zelenskyy’s call for Biden and Xi Jinping to attend the peace summit is a strategic move to demonstrate solidarity and increase pressure on Russia to end the war in Ukraine. By emphasizing the importance of international support and the presence of key world leaders at the summit, Zelenskyy aims to rally global support for Ukraine and force Putin to reconsider his actions. The outcome of the summit could have significant implications for the future of the conflict in Ukraine and the broader geopolitical landscape in Eastern Europe.
In conclusion, the upcoming peace summit organized by Ukraine presents a critical opportunity for world leaders to come together and address the ongoing conflict with Russia. Zelenskyy’s appeal for President Biden’s attendance underscores the importance of U.S. support in pressuring Russia to end the war and withdraw its forces from Ukrainian territory. The outcome of the summit could have far-reaching implications for the future of Ukraine and the broader geopolitical dynamics in Eastern Europe. It remains to be seen whether President Biden and other key leaders will heed Zelenskyy’s call and attend the summit, but their presence could send a strong message of unity and support for Ukraine in its time of crisis.
