Ukraine commemorates the first anniversary of the Russian invasion

Kiev (EFE) withdrawal from the country of Russia, while the president of the United States, Joe Biden, ruled out sending F-16 fighters “for now”.

“First of all, I have plans to meet with Xi Jinping,” Zelensky said, adding: “I think it will be positive for our countries and for the security of the world.” The Ukrainian president insisted that “China respects the territorial integrity” of the countries and “therefore must do everything possible to remove Russia from our territory.”

The Ukrainian leader also said that he hopes that China does not send weapons to Russia, as the United States says Beijing is considering, and said that he is working to prevent it.

Zelenski, who did not give details about the place or the moment in which this hypothetical meeting would take place, focused his appearance on vindicating the “formula for peace” that Ukraine has presented, which foresees a cessation of hostility that goes through the Russian withdrawal and emphasizes compliance with the principles of the UN Charter.

Biden rules out sending F-16 fighters to Ukraine “for now”

The president of the United States, Joe Biden, ruled out sending F-16 fighters to Ukraine “for now”, as his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodimir Zelensky, has requested.

“He doesn’t need an F-16 now,” Biden said in an interview on ABC aired Friday.

The president argued that, at the moment, there are no logical reasons to send the fighters, according to the criteria of the US military leaders.

The US Department of Defense announced the shipment of a new $2 billion military aid package to kyiv that includes HIMARS missiles, artillery ammunition and drones.

In addition, the Democrat government announced a myriad of new economic and diplomatic sanctions against Russian citizens and companies.

Zelensky points out that Ukraine “did not fall in 3 days” and “stopped the second army in the world”

The President of Ukraine, Volodimir Zelensky, today remembered the first anniversary of the invasion of Russia with a message addressed to the Ukrainians in which he defined the last twelve months as “a year of pain, sadness, faith and unity”.

“On February 24, millions of us made a choice. Not a white flag, but a blue and yellow flag (Ukrainian). Not flee, but face. Face the enemy. Resistance and struggle”, added the Ukrainian president.

He stressed that “it was a year of pain, sadness, faith and unity. And this is a year of our invincibility. We know that this will be the year of our victory! ”, Zelenski emphasized in a video message broadcast on his Telegram channel.

In a later statement, the president recalled how many gave up his country when Russian tanks and planes began their war against Ukraine a year ago today, and celebrated his country’s resilience against what was considered the second best army. of the world.

Acts around the world

The anniversary will not only be remembered in Kiev and Zelenski is expected to speak via videoconference at various events scheduled for this occasion in various European capitals -as well as at the virtual meeting of heads of government of the G7 club of industrialized nations-.

In numerous official buildings throughout the continent, Ukrainian flags are flying this Friday, to which are added citizen initiatives, such as the protest marches in cities such as Riga and Warsaw, and artistic ones, such as the installation of a tank destroyed by the Ukrainian forces in front of the Russian Embassy in Berlin.

Zelensky proposes to hold a summit after the support received at the UN

The President of Ukraine, Volodimir Zelensky, proposed this Friday in Kiev to hold a summit with “countries from all continents” after the support received in the UN General Assembly, where a resolution was adopted on Thursday to cease hostilities in his country and the withdrawal of Russian troops.

Zelensky, who held a press conference with international media in the Ukrainian capital, said that such a summit should take place in a country “that is capable of bringing together as many countries of the world as possible.” A total of 141 countries voted in favor of the resolution.

The Ukrainian president indirectly alluded to the abstentions manifested in that vote at the UN -as did China and India, among others- and said that his government is working “to transform this neutrality into a statute of non-neutrality towards the war”.

Poland sends the first “Leopard 2” and Sweden and Germany announce shipment of more tanks

Polish President Andréj Duda announced on Friday that “Polish Leopard tanks have already been sent to Ukraine” at a press conference after the National Security Assembly meeting in Warsaw.

The Swedish Defense Minister, Pål Jonson, said at a press conference that they are also going to contribute a dozen “Leopard 2” tanks to Ukraine and added that the delivery will take place “as quickly as possible”.

Germany also confirmed the shipment of more tanks in the initiative, together with Poland, to send two battalions of “Leopard 2” to Ukraine.

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced the increase in German support and said in a statement: “This way we are in a position together with our Portuguese and Swedish partners to put together a mixed Ukrainian battalion.”

While Poland assumed the shipment of “Leopard 2 A4”, Germany coordinates for its part that of the “Leopard 2 A6”.

“With Sweden’s announcement today to send ten ‘Leopard 2 A5’ tanks that are technically similar to the ‘2 A6’, together with Portugal we are ready to deliver 31 ‘Leopard 2’ to Ukraine,” the ministry said.

NATO warns China

For their part, the President of the European Commission (EC), Ursula von der Leyen, and the Secretary General of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, who are attending events in Tallinn on the occasion of the 105th anniversary of the founding of Estonia, have reiterated once again full support for the Kiev government and the Ukrainian people.

According to Von der Leyen, “now is the time to redouble our efforts. We have to continue to give Ukraine the means to defend itself. Until the Russians end this war and leave the Ukraine”, for which he pledged the “economic, financial and military” support of the 27.

On behalf of the members of the European Union (EU), he affirmed that the pressure on Moscow “and on those who support him on the battlefield” will continue.

In this sense, the Secretary General of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, warned in Tallinn that “it would be a big mistake for China to send weapons to Russia as it would be supporting an illegal war” and warned that this would have consequences.