A third major international meeting on Ukraine began today in Malta for a possible later peace summit to end the Russian war of aggression. “International support for the Ukrainian peace formula is growing,” said the head of the presidential office in Kiev, Andriy Yermak, at the beginning.
Top diplomats and national security advisers from several countries will gather at the conference this weekend. Jermak spoke of 65 states represented, significantly more than in the summer in Saudi Arabia.
“This is truly a demonstration that the world is interested in justice and victory for Ukraine,” Yermak said. “Russia’s misrepresentations about declining interest in Ukraine have not come to fruition.” The focus of the Malta meeting is Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s ten-point “peace formula”, which essentially envisages the withdrawal of Russian troops from the country.
“Victory will be a shared victory”
Russia was not invited and criticized the talks as an “obviously anti-Russian event”. China, which launched its own peace initiative as an ally of Russia, will have stayed away this time, unlike in the summer. The USA, Germany and Great Britain, as well as the European Union, are considered Ukraine’s most important supporters.
However, Ukraine is concerned about declining support in the West. There are also discussions in the US about billions in aid. Before the meeting, Yermak said in an interview with the American television channel Fox that Kiev continues to count on Washington’s help.
“Our victory will be a common victory, because a defeat for Russia is in the strategic and political interests of the United States.” At the same time, he said: “And winning this war will be very difficult – or even impossible without the help of the United States and other partners.”