Zelensky: “If there is a diplomatic and preventive path in Taiwan, it must be used”

the president of UkraineVolodymyr Zelensky, urged this Saturday, in a digital intervention in a security forum in Singapore, that “if there is a diplomatic and preventive path in Taiwanyou have to use it”, to stop a hypothetical invasion of Chinapartner of Russia.

Zelensky, speaking by videoconference from a secret location in Ukraine at the Shangri-La Dialogue, the Asia-Pacific’s most important annual security forum, remarked that “no one benefits from wars apart from certain political leaders.”

Without referring to Beijing directly, the Ukrainian president, whose country was invaded by Russia on February 24, gave the example of Ukraine so that “the world always supports any preventive action”, in a forum in which the possibility of an attack from China to Taiwan has dominated much of the talk.

The day before, the Japanese Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida, warned in his opening speech at the forum that “East Asia could become Ukraine”, while the shadow of a conflict in Taiwan, a self-governing island whose sovereignty is claimed, is looming in the region. by Beijing and that Washington would defend in principle.

“Diplomatic solutions are needed to support countries that need help. We must not leave anyone behind, at the mercy of other more powerful countries, ”Zelensky responded when asked if he agreed with Kishida in the round of questions after his speech.

The Ukrainian president advocated diplomacy before the conflict, “not when there are already thousands of dead”, citing as an example what happened to his country, besieged by Russian troops.

In that case, “it is too late to discuss, the world must put Russia in its place, and its place is on its territory,” added the Ukrainian leader.

Zelensky said the day before that he believes his army is making gains in some of the Russian-occupied areas, such as Zaporizhia in the south and Kharkiv, the northeastern region whose capital is the country’s second-largest city.

In his speech this Saturday at the Singapore forum, Zelensky sought areas of common understanding with the audience -made up of hundreds of representatives and defense chiefs from 40 countries, without confirmed assistance from Russia-, saying: “I am sure that in some From the examples I point out (about the invasion of Ukraine) you can find something important that you have an interest in preserving, such as your culture or resources, that you do not want anyone to squander”.

The war generated by Russia, he added, “is not only important in Europe, but globally, as it is an affront to international law and an attempt to return to the 19th century.”

The parallel between Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and a similar Chinese attack on Taiwan was also used on Saturday by US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, who delivered a speech at the forum today.

Austin, who yesterday had his first face-to-face meeting with Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe -who will speak tomorrow at the Dialogue-, used the war in Ukraine to illustrate what happens when a power “with an imperialist desire” transgresses international norms , dissuading China from doing the same to Taiwan.

A line of thought that was echoed by other participants in the forum, who gave Zelensky a fervent applause after his speech.

The Indonesian Defense Minister, Prabowo Subianto, declared for his part in a panel hours before: “We are surrounded by friendly countries, but the war in Ukraine has shown Indonesia that it cannot take its security for granted.”

Source: Elcomercio

Ronald Payne

I, Ronald Payne, am a journalist and author who dedicated his life to telling the stories that need to be said. I have over 7 years of experience as a reporter and editor, covering everything from politics to business to crime.