Zelensky meets heads of state in Singapore, seeks support for peace summit in Switzerland

SINGAPORE –

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met heads of state and legislators in Singapore

late on June 1 and early on June 2, seeking security assistance and support for a peace summit after arriving for a surprise visit to the Shangri-La Dialogue.

He and his defence minister, Mr Rustem Umerov, had talks with US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin for more than an hour on June 2 on the sidelines of the conference in Singapore.

Mr Austin updated Mr Zelensky during the meeting on Washington’s military assistance to Kyiv and “reaffirmed the US commitment to maintaining the strong support”, a Pentagon official said after the meeting, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.

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

On social media platform X, Mr Zelensky said he had also met Indonesian President-elect Prabowo Subianto, a delegation from the US Congress, and Timor-Leste President Jose Ramos-Horta.

“It is very important for us to begin the process of establishing a just peace,” Mr Zelensky said. “Russia does not want to end the war. Therefore, we must work together with the entire world to bring peace closer.”

He said Mr Ramos-Horta had agreed to attend the peace summit, scheduled for mid-June in Switzerland. At 2023’s Shangri-La Dialogue, Mr Prabowo had proposed an Indonesian plan for ending the war in Ukraine.

Russia has not attended the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore

since it invaded Ukraine in 2022.

In an address to delegates on June 2, Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun said his country had been careful not to support either Russia or Ukraine.

“On the Ukraine crisis, China has been promoting peace talks with a responsible attitude,” he said. “We have never provided weapons to either party of the conflict. We have put strict controls on exports of dual-use items, and have never done anything to fan the flames. We stand firmly on the side of peace and dialogue.”

Mr Zelensky is scheduled to speak at the security summit’s final discussion session on June 2 titled “Re-Imagining Solutions for Global Peace and Regional Stability”.

Ukraine is facing a renewed assault from Russian forces, particularly around the north-eastern city of Kharkiv. The US recently relaxed restrictions on the use of US-supplied weapons to strike targets in Russia, which experts say will help Ukraine blunt attacks before they gather momentum.

The Shangri-La Dialogue, organised by the London-based International Institute of Strategic Studies, ends on June 2. REUTERS