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7 mins ago
Zelensky says Ukraine will recapture Crimea
By Radina Gigova, Maria Kostenko
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks via video link at a side event on the third day of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, on January 19.
(Photo: Stefan Wermuth/Bloomberg/Getty Images)
Ukraine will regain Crimea, as it is "our land", President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his speech at the "Ukrainian Breakfast" in Davos on Thursday.
"It is not an intention, it is our land. Crimea is our sea and our mountains. Give us your weapons and we will take back [what is] ours," Zelensky said when asked by the panel if he intends to retake Crimea.
"But there is still an opportunity for Russia to leave this territory, and not only this one. Nobody says that relations can be restored, but it can save the lives of its people," he said.
"The gap between our countries is huge. It is not artificial. It has been dug by [Russian President Vladimir] Putin. He stands with this shovel and will remain with this shovel in history," Zelensky said.
Asked about the possibility of peace negotiations, Zelensky said: "Peace negotiations are not peace. The parties have to realize that. During the last three years [since he became president] we did everything we could to liberate our land through diplomacy," he said.
"Someone did not want to, did not have time, did not believe, set conditions. There were many people like that, and the center of all that was in Moscow," he added.
"I don't understand who to talk to. I don't quite understand if he [Putin] is alive or if he makes decisions, or who makes decisions," Zelensky said.
"I don't quite understand how you can promise one thing to European leaders and start a war the next day."
This is not the first time Zelensky has vowed to overthrow Moscow's 2014 annexation of Crimea since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began last year.
Speaking last August, he stressed that for Ukrainians, Crimea is "not just a territory" or even a "figure in the geopolitical game."
"For Ukraine, Crimea is a part of our people, of our society, a community of people to whom we guarantee freedom," he said then.
11 minutes ago
Zelensky renews his request to the West for more weapons to fight Russia
By Maria Kostenko
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks from a video screen to participants at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on January 18.
(Photo: Markus Schreiber/AP)
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky again on Thursday called on Western allies and partners to send more weapons to Ukraine to help fight Russian aggression.
In a speech broadcast live during the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Zelensky said that Ukraine urgently needs equipment, artillery and shells.
"We have spoken hundreds of times about the shortage of weapons. We cannot limit ourselves to motivation," he said.
Ukraine's air defense remains a weak point and Russia is likely to launch another series of drone strikes soon, Zelensky added.
"There are moments when you don't have to hesitate. When people say: 'I'll give you tanks if someone else does,'" he said.
Zelensky's appeal comes as the US is about to finalize $2.5 billion in military aid to Ukraine that includes a first shipment of Stryker combat vehicles, sources told CNN.
The package is not expected to include tanks or the long-range missiles requested by Kyiv.
All eyes are now on Germany as defense leaders meet to discuss military support for Ukraine.
With the UK and Poland announcing plans to send main battle tanks, international pressure is mounting on Berlin to approve the delivery of German-made Leopard main battle tanks to Kyiv, or at least approve their transfer from third countries.
The new German defense minister is scheduled to meet his US counterpart in Berlin on Thursday, ahead of a key meeting on Friday with NATO's Ukraine Defense Contact Group at the US Ramstein airbase.
12 mins ago
"It's our land": Zelensky repeats his promise that Ukraine will recapture Crimea
By Maria Kostenko
Ukraine will recapture Crimea from Russian rule, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Thursday during a live broadcast address at the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos.
Asked by the "Ukrainian Breakfast" session panel if he intended to liberate Crimea, Zelensky responded with a renewed call for more weapons in the West.
"It is not an intention, it is our land," he said.
"Crimea is our sea and our mountains. Give us your weapons and we will take ours back."
Some context
: This isn't the first time Zelensky has sworn to overthrow Moscow's 2014 annexation of Crimea since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began last year.
Speaking last August, he stressed that for Ukrainians, Crimea is "not just a territory" or even a "figure in the geopolitical game."
"For Ukraine, Crimea is a part of our people, of our society, a community of people to whom we guarantee freedom," he said then.
16 mins ago
New German Defense Minister takes office hours before high-level talks on support for Ukraine
By Nadine Schmidt
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier (left) shakes hands with new German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius as he hands him the certificate of his appointment at the Bellevue presidential palace in Berlin on January 19.
(Photo: Tobias Schwarz/AFP/Getty Images)
Germany's new Defense Minister Boris Pistorius was sworn in on Thursday morning, just before high-level talks on military support for Ukraine begin this week in Germany.
This Thursday – his first day in office – Pistorius will meet US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in Berlin.
This Friday he will take part in a key meeting with NATO's Ukraine Defense Contact Group at the US Ramstein airbase, hosted by Austin, which will focus on increasing military aid to Kyiv.
Pistorius succeeds former Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht, who resigned on Monday.
Tank Talks
- All eyes are on Germany as Defense officials meet to discuss military support for Ukraine.
With the UK and Poland announcing their intention to send main battle tanks, international pressure is mounting on Berlin to approve the delivery of German-made Leopard main battle tanks to Kyiv, or at least approve their transfer from third countries.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz reiterated his support for Ukraine at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday, but did not commit to sending battle tanks.
That same day, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky delivered an impassioned speech to political leaders and delegates in Davos, calling on Western partners to speed up the delivery of main battle tanks and other supplies to counter the Russian invasion.
On Wednesday, a senior US defense official told CNN the US was "optimistic" that Germany would agree to supply Ukraine with Leopard tanks.
19 mins ago
US 'optimistic' about Germany sending Leopard tanks to Ukraine, defense official says
By Michael Callahan
Slovak servicemen walk on top of a German Leopard tank in Bratislava, Slovakia, in December 2022. (Photo: Radovan Stoklasa/Reuters)
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will "put pressure on the Germans" to allow their Leopard tanks to be transferred to Ukraine in order to provide the "critical time capability" to counter any possible Russian offensive of spring, a senior US defense official told CNN on Wednesday.
"We are very optimistic that we will make progress on this requirement before the end of the week," the official added.
Germany has been reluctant to approve the transfer to Ukraine of German-made Leopard tanks from other countries.
Germany has to approve the transfer before countries like Poland and Finland, which have openly expressed their willingness to send Leopard tanks to Ukraine, can carry out any shipments.
"We will never go alone, because it is necessary in a situation as difficult as this," German Chancellor Olaf Scholz declared on Tuesday.
Austin is in Germany, where he is scheduled to meet with the German defense minister before convening a Ukraine Contact Group meeting on Friday to discuss aid to Ukraine with some 50 countries and organizations.
"We are really opening the door to create this capability at a crucial time. Europe is training the Ukrainian forces in this capability. We are training the Ukrainian forces. Now they need the real capability, the tanks, and so we are focusing on it," the US official told CNN.
"Other countries are willing to do it."
Some background
: The United States is nearing finalization of $2.5 billion military aid to Ukraine that includes a first shipment of Stryker fighting vehicles, sources have told CNN.
The package is not expected to include tanks or the long-range missiles Kyiv is seeking.
