War in Ukraine - USA or Japan after all? Zelensky cancels speech to senators - and Putin travels to Dubai
Ahead of Armed Forces Day in Ukraine on Wednesday, President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked all those who are fighting in the defense against the Russian invasion - soldiers and volunteers alike. "Glory to all those who fight and work for Ukraine and Ukrainians!", he said in his video address on the eve of the holiday.
Ukraine has been fending off a large-scale Russian invasion since February 2022 and is dependent on foreign support. However, the process of obtaining aid suffered a setback: a video call by Zelenskyi to Washington to convince members of the US Senate to continue the aid was canceled at short notice on Tuesday. Something came up at the last minute, said Democratic Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.
On Wednesday night, there was another air alert over large parts of Ukraine. According to the Ukrainian air force, Russia attacked again with combat drones. Wednesday marks the 651st day of the war, according to the Ukrainian military's count.
Zelensky cancels Vashington and speaks in Japan instead
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi will take part in a video summit of G7 heads of state and government led by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Wednesday. Selenskyj will join the first part of the meeting, Japanese government spokesman Hirokazu Matsuno told journalists. He added that "important issues for the international community, such as the situation in Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East" would be discussed at the summit.
Shortly beforehand, the Ukrainian president had surprisingly canceled an equally virtual appearance before the US Congress. According to the majority leader of the Democrats in the Senate, Chuck Schumer, "something came up at the last minute". Selensky had been expected to address members of Congress on Tuesday to ask for further military support for his country.
No details were given in Washington as to why the Ukrainian head of state's video call with the US senators was canceled at short notice. Zelensky's chief of staff Andriy Yermak wrote on X (formerly Twitter) that he was in the US capital for talks.
As part of a visit to 🇺🇸, along with the Verkhovna Rada Speaker @r_stefanchuk and Defense Mininster @rustem_umerov, I spoke at @USIP. Noted that the implementation of the Peace Formula will be the ground base to stop tyranny in the future. pic.twitter.com/QEsFUGOFsb
— Andriy Yermak (@AndriyYermak) December 5, 2023
Democratic Senator Schumer appealed to his Republican colleagues in front of journalists to approve further US aid quickly. US President Biden had asked Parliament for 61.4 billion dollars (56.5 billion euros) for Ukraine in October. However, an agreement in the House of Representatives is being made more difficult by the fact that there is disagreement within the Republican faction on the Ukraine aid.
Pistorius: We deliver what we can - opposition wants more
In Germany, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) admitted delays in arms deliveries to Ukraine. At the same time, he said that capacities would be ramped up as quickly as possible. "We currently have the problem, which is well known, that the arms industry in certain areas cannot deliver as quickly as the demand is there," he said on ZDF's "Heute Journal". However, Germany is now the second largest supporter of Ukraine in terms of arms deliveries. "We deliver what we can."
CDU defense politician Henning Otte called for the German government to expand military aid. "The course of the front will probably not change fundamentally in the winter months, despite many losses. This makes long-term support for Ukraine all the more important," the Vice-Chairman of the Defense Committee told the German Press Agency.
The government should abandon its negative stance on the delivery of Taurus cruise missiles. "With the delivery of Taurus, Ukraine could combat the likely increase in Russian missile attacks at the missile base," said Otte. The Taurus is one of the air force's most modern missiles with a range of around 500 kilometers.
Another night of Russian drone attacks
According to Ukrainian reports, Russia attacked the neighboring country with combat drones again on Wednesday night. The Ukrainian air force initially reported a threat to the south of the Odessa region. Later, another group of Iranian-made Shahed drones flew over the Mykolaiv region. The air alert was then extended to central Ukraine and the capital Kiev.
At the same time, the Ukrainian air force announced that it had shot down a Russian Sukhoi Su-24 fighter-bomber over the west of the Black Sea near Snake Island. Selensky confirmed the downing in his video address.
Ukraine: Apartments for heroic soldiers
Ukrainian soldiers who have been awarded the highest distinction of "Hero of Ukraine" will receive an apartment from the state in future. Selensky handed over the first 21 certificates of ownership to the soldiers in Kiev or - if they were decorated after their death - to their surviving dependants. Since the beginning of the Russian invasion in February 2022, around 360 soldiers have been honored as "Heroes of Ukraine". 210 of them received the honor posthumously.
Putin at the world climate summit
Despite an international arrest warrant, Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia on Wednesday. According to the Kremlin, Putin, who is the subject of an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC), will meet with President Mohammed bin Sajed al-Nahjan during the "working visit" to the Emirates to discuss cooperation between the two countries and the situation in the Middle East. In Riyadh, the Kremlin chief will be received by Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
According to the Kremlin, the talks in Riyadh will focus on trade, investment and international politics. According to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, Putin wants to talk in particular about the Middle East conflict and the cut in oil production decided by the Opec+ oil cartel. Whether Putin will also visit the UN Climate Change Conference, which is currently taking place in Dubai in the Emirates, was initially unclear. In the Emirates and Saudi Arabia, Putin does not have to expect to be arrested despite the arrest warrant against him, as neither country is a party to the ICC in The Hague.
This will be important on Wednesday
In the USA, the arms industry is discussing weapons production with Ukrainian representatives. The White House announced that it wanted to explore "opportunities for co-production and other industrial cooperation in Ukraine".
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- Despite the cancellation of his scheduled speech to the US Senate, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will still participate in a video summit led by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Wednesday, where they will discuss 'important issues for the international community, such as the situation in Ukraine'.
- Russia, under President Vladimir Putin, is continuing its aggression against Ukraine, with reports of another night of drone attacks on Wednesday, targeting the Odessa and Mykolaiv regions.
- In Washington, Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer is urging his Republican colleagues to approve further US aid for Ukraine quickly, as disagreements within the Republican faction are causing delays in an agreement in the House of Representatives.
- Boris Pistorius, the German Defense Minister, has admitted delays in arms deliveries to Ukraine but reassured that Germany is now the second-largest supporter of Ukraine in terms of arms deliveries and will ramp up capacities as quickly as possible.
Source: www.stern.de
