Western leaders pledge support for Ukraine while China reiterates calls for peace dialog

Western leaders have pledged unwavering support for Ukraine “as long as necessary” as Russia’s military campaign against the former Soviet state is approaching its first anniversary with no end in sight.

Speaking at the 59th Munich Security Conference (MSC) on Saturday, Western leaders vowed to remain steadfast in their support for Kiev amid worries about “a prolonged conflict.”

In their speeches, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron stressed that the West would not lose its patience, even as debate intensifies about the war effort’s scale, its cost, and the economic damage it has inflicted around the world.

“It is not really a very good idea” to “discuss the question of when, in which month, the war will end,” Scholz said.

“The really important decision that we should all take together is saying that we are willing to do it as long as necessary and that we will do our best,” he added.

Macron also stated that the West is “ready for a prolonged conflict,” stressing that there could be no talks until the Kremlin had been pushed back from Ukraine.

“Now the question is how to resist? How to help the Ukrainians to make on the ground something which will force Russia to come back to the table on the conditions of Ukraine,” he said.

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Ukraine

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak urged world leaders to double down on military support for Ukraine while stressing the importance of bolstering the country’s "long-term security".

He further called for a new security framework that would protect non-NATO countries such as Ukraine against any future offensives.

He also noted that winning in Ukraine would represent a triumph over wider global threats, adding that he wants "a victory over the very idea of war".

Elsewhere in his remarks, Sunak pointed to the potential supply of fighter jets to Ukraine, saying there are "complications" with providing certain types of aircraft.

However, he said, the UK is training Ukrainian fighters to use the jets at a NATO standard, adding that London would "happily support other countries" if they had the capacity to provide jets immediately.

US Vice President Kamala Harris also reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to Kiev during her speech, saying the US is proud to be Ukraine’s partner in “this noble pursuit."

Harris acknowledged that Ukrainians will "continue to be tried and tested", though she was confident they will "rise to the task".

In spite of the Russian government's repetitive warnings against fanning the flames of war in Ukraine, Harris said "If Putin thinks he can wait us out, he is badly mistaken," adding that "time is not on his side."

China reiterates calls for dialog over Ukraine crisis

Meanwhile, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has reiterated calls for peace and dialog over the crisis in Ukraine, saying Beijing has "neither stood by idly nor thrown fuel on the fire."

"I suggest that everybody starts to think calmly, especially friends in Europe, about what kind of efforts we can make to stop this war," Wang said at the Munich conference on Saturday.

The Chinese top diplomat went on to say that there are "some forces that seemingly don't want negotiations to succeed, or for the war to end soon," without specifying to whom he was referring.

China will set out its position on settling the Ukraine crisis in a document that will state all countries' territorial integrity must be respected, Wang said.

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China

The latest developments came as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on the United States and its European allies to speed up sending military weapons and equipment to Ukraine at the opening of the annual conference.

“We need to hurry up,” Zelensky told dozens of leaders who convened in Germany, stressing that “delay has always been, and still is, a mistake.”

The 59th Munich Security Conference, an annual meeting of experts, heads of the states, and high-ranking politicians is held from February 17 to 19 in the Bavarian capital as Russia's offensive against Ukraine nears its one-year anniversary.

Russia launched "a special military operation" in Ukraine on February 24, 2022, over the perceived threat of the ex-Soviet republic joining NATO. Since then, the United States and Ukraine's other allies have sent Kiev tens of billions of dollars worth of weapons, including rocket systems, drones, armored vehicles, tanks, and communication systems.

Western countries have also imposed a slew of economic sanctions on Moscow. The Kremlin has said the sanctions and the Western military assistance will only prolong the war.

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