Zelensky says world must not tire of Ukraine war

LISBON: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday urged the world to keep paying attention to Russia´s invasion of his country, saying any signs of fatigue played into President Vladimir Putin´s hands.

With the war now in its third year and Kyiv having faced multiple delays to vital Western military support, Zelensky is pushing his partners not to let Ukraine slip down the global agenda.

“It is very important for Ukrainians that the world does not get tired... that the world understands that it cannot get tired of the war launched by the aggressor,” Zelensky said in Portugal during a tour of several European capitals.

“Otherwise there will be no justice, otherwise the world will change, otherwise the world will be changed by people like Putin,” he said. Kyiv and Lisbon signed a security cooperation agreement during the trip, the latest in a string of bilateral deals with Western countries for providing long-term military, financial and political support to Ukraine.

Zelensky urged US leader Joe Biden to attend a June peace summit in Switzerland, as he accused Russia´s Vladimir Putin of trying to derail the gathering.

Zelensky´s appeal came as he locked in a commitment from Belgium to supply 30 F-16 fighter jets by 2028, on the latest leg of a whistlestop tour to rally Western support.

Ukraine is pushing to whip up attendance at the peace conference next month where it hopes to win broad international backing for its vision of the terms needed to end Russia´s war.