Zelensky and Stoltenberg discussed Ukraine’s prospects in NATO

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the talks in Davos with the head of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, emphasized the need to strengthen Ukrainian air defense in the almost two-year-old confrontation of Kiev against the Russian military invasion.

Negotiations between Zelenskyi and the Secretary General of NATO took place on Tuesday on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy is personally present at the event for the first time. Before that, he spoke to political leaders and representatives of the world business elite, who come to Davos every year, via video link.

At the meeting with Stoltenberg, the Ukrainian president once again stated his country’s desire to join NATO. Zelensky emphasized that he expects decisions that will bring Ukraine closer to membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization this year. Also, according to Zelensky’s Office, at the meeting he informed Stoltenberg about the situation on the front line in Ukraine and thanked NATO for the continued support of Kiev in the conditions of war with Russia.

Later on January 16, Volodymyr Zelensky, who is making efforts to strengthen international support for Ukraine, is scheduled to deliver his keynote speech to the participants of the forum in Switzerland.

Separately, within the framework of the Davos forum, Volodymyr Zelenskyi met with the heads of a number of large corporations and financial structures, including top managers of Bank of America and Siemens Energy. The meeting behind closed doors was called “CEO for Ukraine”. France-Presse notes that Zelensky was greeted with a standing ovation.

On Monday, it became known that Volodymyr Zelensky agreed to hold a global peace summit on Ukraine in Switzerland. “At the request of the Ukrainian president, Switzerland agreed to host the peace formula summit,” the Swiss government said. They noted that the details of the upcoming negotiations are still being worked out. When the meeting will take place and who will be among its participants, it is also not yet known.

“We are open to all countries that respect our sovereignty and territorial integrity, so draw conclusions about who will be invited,” Zelensky said at a joint press conference with Swiss President Viola Amerd. Among other things, Zelensky noted that he would like to see representatives of the so-called “Global South” among the participants of the future summit.

• Last weekend, Davos hosted the fourth international meeting on Ukraine at the level of national security advisers. Representatives of more than 80 states and organizations participated in it. There was no Russian delegation. Participants from among Kyiv’s Western allies, as well as countries that adhere to a neutral position in the conflict, discussed the possibility of ending the war in Ukraine according to the “peace formula” proposed earlier by Zelensky. This formula envisages, among other things, the complete withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine and the restoration of the country’s borders as of 1991. Russia calls the proposals absurd and unacceptable.
• Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov, commenting on the discussion in Davos on Kyiv’s peace proposals, emphasized that such discussions will not lead to anything. “In essence, these are talks for the sake of talks. This is a process that is not and cannot be aimed at achieving a specific result for the obvious simple reason – we are not involved,” Dmitry Peskov said on Monday.

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