Ukrainian President Zelensky opened the Munich security conference,
which brings together world leaders ahead of the first anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine
.
"We are all the free world. And there is no alternative: we must win against Goliath," he said by video link.
"The Russian Goliath Just Started Losing."
"Goliath can lose this year," he pressed.
"We have no alternative to our resoluteness", he added, warning that "the Kremlin can destroy the peace of everyone present. If the world's decisions are slow, Putin will benefit".
Macron has warned that it is not yet time for dialogue with Russia.
"Nobody can change the geography of Russia. And nobody can change the fact that Russia is part of Europe. And there can be peace in Europe only if there is an answer to the Russian question," he said in Munich.
"I've always warned: we mustn't be naïve and make it easy."
"And we must continue the dialogue where possible. Even if this is not the time for dialogue yet," he continued.
"
Whoever can send tanks to Ukraine should do so now
," warned
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz
in his speech in Munich.
"In arms policy, the European Union must row in the same direction," he said.
And he added: "We are concerned that we will not end up with a war between NATO and Russia. We will continue to maintain the balance between the best possible support for Ukraine and avoiding an unwanted escalation. And I am happy and grateful that President Biden and many other allies are of the same mind as me."
The alarm from Kiev: Ten thousand soldiers are concentrated in Russian territory on the border of Sumy, in north-eastern Ukraine,
lieutenant of the Ukrainian armed forces Andrii Gulakov told the Times.
who in turn mentions Ukrainian soldiers on guard duty in the region.
"Across the border from Sumy, 10,000 Russian soldiers are concentrated. This is the largest concentration there has ever been here," the military man said, adding that the Russians have built a field hospital at their headquarters, and this indicates they are planning offensive actions.
On the other hand, the press office of the Naval Forces of Ukraine, quoted by UNIAN, informed that
the Russian Navy has increased the number of warships deployed in the Black Sea from seven to eleven
, three of which are carrying Kalibr cruise missiles, whose total salvo is about 24 missiles.
Another combat ship of the Federation is located in the Sea of \u200b\u200bAzov, and ten are in the Mediterranean, five of which are
Caliber aircraft carriers, the total salvo of which is 72 missiles.
ANSA agency
Ukraine: Xi to deliver 'peace speech' ahead of Feb. 24 - World
Tajani reveals it: 'I hope that China will put pressure on Moscow'
With just days to go on the Feb. 24 anniversary of Moscow sending its forces to Ukraine, conflict will be high on the agenda, with Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba representing Ukraine.
Kiev's Western backers, led by the United States, have supplied it with a huge amount of weapons and pledged to supply more, including the heavy tanks the Ukrainians have long sought to counter Russia's offensive.
President Volodymyr Zelensky is now ramping up requests for Western fighter jets, even though his allies have so far been cool on the matter.
Kuleba himself, before the opening of the Munich conference, said that "No country has yet promised
Ukraine fighter jets."
ANSA agency
Ukraine: 50% of inmates recruited by Wagner killed - World
The Russian dead would be 60,000, according to British intelligence (ANSA)