Ukrainian president urges regional cooperation in dealing with threats that currently destabilizing Europe
ISTANBUL
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Tuesday that he would not rule out a Russian attack on another European country, emphasizing the importance of regional cooperation in dealing with the threats that are currently destabilizing the continent.
“Is it likely that the leadership of Russia is planning a new invasion of the territory of another neighbor? No one can rule it out,” said Zelenskyy via videoconference at the opening of the 26th Annual Economist Government Roundtable.
“We have not yet seen the possible wars or crises that Russia is able to prepare for many countries in the coming years,” he said.
“Can Russia create another crisis for all of us in Europe? It can,” he remarked.
“It is enough to look at the Russian missiles that fly over the power units of nuclear plants in Ukraine,” he said, adding, “we don’t even have guaranteed radiation safety now.”
He called for “unity and security guarantees. It is (possible) only through greater unity in Europe and effective security guarantees that we can respond to those threats that are currently destabilizing the continent.”
“The future of Europe – calm and peaceful – is simply impossible without it,” he stressed, suggesting that they need a European unity that will become the largest in history.
“Of course, a lot has already been done for this. But not everything yet,” he remarked.
Zelenskyy said, “What is happening in the energy market in Europe” should be seen as “a war.”
“With its gas game, Russia is doing everything to keep inflation growing and to make Europe experience the biggest crisis in history this winter,” he said.
The war in Ukraine, which is reshaping the global geopolitical and energy order, is also emasculating Russia, one of the world’s energy superpowers, while EU countries are scrambling to find alternative natural gas sources in anticipation of a further decline in Russian gas supplies to Europe.
“However, at the same time, we see Greek companies providing almost the largest tanker fleet for the transportation of Russian oil,” he said, adding, “I am sure that this does not meet the interests of Europe, Greece, or Ukraine.”
