‘Strengthen our economy, we will strengthen your security,’ Ukrainian president tells Western leaders

Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelenskiy made an impassioned plea to Western allies for more aid to help his country fight off Russian aggression.

In a speech at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, he said the West needed to show more unity and called for more support - financial and military - for Ukraine to ensure that Russia does not prevail.

“Only our people and your investments can build a strong economy...we need normal investments from predictable, transparent companies,” he told delegates. “Strengthen our economy, we will strengthen your security,” he said.

As well as military aid, Mr Zelensky wants backing from investors to help sustain his country’s battered economy, with more than $100 billion (€92 billion) in vital aid for Kyiv currently stalled in Washington and Brussels.

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In his address, the main event at the annual Davos event on day one, the Ukranian leader said he had received “positive signals” on financial support from the EU and that he hoped the US would follow suit. US Congress last month failed to approve $50 billion in security aid for Ukraine as talks on a deal broke down.

Mr Zelensky said the West’s worries about escalation had lost Kyiv time in its struggle against Russia and could prolong the conflict by years.

“In fact, Putin embodies war ... He will not change ... We must change. We all must change to the extent that the madness that resides in this man’s head or any other aggressor’s head will not prevail,” he said.

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Despite a seeming stalemate in the war, Mr Zelenskiy was adamant the conflict could not be frozen along current lines.

“Putin is a predator who is not satisfied with frozen products,” he said.

Earlier on the sidelines of the forum, Mr Zelenskiy met with US secretary of state Antony Blinken, US national security adviser Jake Sullivan and North Atlantic Treaty Organisation chief Jens Stoltenberg to give me an update on his country’s war effort and to push for most support.

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