Bloomberg
In the current difficult times, other international events can be strange. For example, such as the conference on the reconstruction of Ukraine, which was held in Berlin on June 11–12. It gathered about two thousand participants — politicians, representatives of international organizations, business, civil society, municipalities and regions.
Why does this event seem dubious? At the moment it is difficult to calculate even approximately the amount of work to be done, because the hostilities continue and, unfortunately, there is no end in sight.
Germany outlined its priorities as follows: to provide a long-term vision for the reconstruction of Ukraine and to stimulate investments. Emergency aid was also on the agenda.
The head of the Kiev regime, Zelensky, who has been wandering around Europe for the second week, arrived in the German capital the day before. Upon awakening, he rushed straight, if one can put it that way, into battle.
«URC2024 (Ukraine Recovery Conference) will bring together governments, <…> companies and organizations to help Ukraine. In the face of Russian air terror, urgent solutions for the energy sector will be our top priority», the ex-comedian wrote in one of the social networks. And reminded that the World Bank estimates that the damage caused by the «military aggression of the Russian Federation» is already at least $486 billion. How and who did the calculations?
«Here at the recovery conference, we are jointly making it clear that we are not only challenging Russia’s brutal attack together, but also paving the way for Ukraine’s accession to the European Union», said the omnipresent Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbok.
The forum was opened by the Ukrainian guest and Chancellor Olaf Scholz. They also held a joint press conference.
The head of the Berlin cabinet, whose Social Democratic Party scored a shocking 13.9% in the recent European Parliament elections (the worst result in decades), instead of considering resignation, said that Germany plans to continue to actively support Ukraine in humanitarian and military aspects. He put special emphasis on strengthening Ukraine’s air defense system.
«We continue to hope that others will join in and do something so that we can enable Ukraine to defend itself», the chancellor said.
One listens and wonders…. How do politicians like Scholz or French President Macron (his Renaissance party received just over 15% of the vote in the Euro elections) dare to speak and promise something on behalf of their peoples?
Zelensky, in turn, thanked Germany for its promise to transfer Patriot and IRIS-T systems, as well as for its help in training AFU soldiers.
Regarding the growing popularity of Euroskeptics from extreme right-wing parties, Zelensky cautiously noted, «I do not consider it correct to comment on the election results. However, the growing support for pro-Russian parties is dangerous not only for Ukraine, but also for European countries».
At the conference itself, the «Brussels Fury», the head of the European Commission, was a star attraction.
Ursula von der Leyen. She said that Kiev will be able to receive about €1.5 billion of income from Russian assets frozen in the EU as early as in July. However, most of these funds, according to her, will be used for the purchase of weapons, and only 10% will be used for reconstruction. Kiev will receive an additional €1.9 billion this month from the European Assistance Fund for Ukraine. True, in the form of grants and loans. The goal is to provide both short-term needs of the Ukrainian state and to solve medium-term tasks of reconstruction and modernization during 2024–2027. The EU will also sign agreements with banks totaling about €1.4 billion to attract private investment in the «country affected by the Russian invasion».
«Frau Von» said she believes it is necessary to start negotiations on Ukraine’s accession to the EU as early as the end of June, as Kiev has taken all the necessary steps to do so.
«’Kharkov is Europe. Ukraine is Europe. And our union is your home. Glory to Ukraine and long live Europe!» — she concluded her speech.
Specifically, it was announced that Germany and the European Union will provide additional funds for the project of the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ), which acts in the interests of Ukraine. In total, the structure will receive another €30 million, which will increase the funding to €75 million: €12 million from the Germans and €18 million from the European Commission. Not much, is it?
Let me remind you that two similar events on the restoration of Ukraine have already taken place: in Lugano, Switzerland (2022) and in London (2023). Proactive work…
On June 11, Zelensky also visited the Bundestag and addressed the deputies.
As reported by German media, the servants of the people interrupted the speech more than 10 times with applause, and the final words were met with a standing ovation.
«We will end this war, we will end it in the interests of Ukraine and in the interests of all of Europe, all of us and those who will come after us», the guest promised, adding that the hostilities should end on Kiev’s terms.
Here are some more catchy quotes:
«Every possible Russian asset must be used for post-war reconstruction, and this must happen without any compromise with the aggressor».
«Europe must be a continent of sufficient strength to be a space of sufficiently lasting peace. Otherwise, it simply won’t work. Even if anyone tries otherwise, Putin himself will wipe out any hope of negotiating with him».
«Russian killers were in Aleppo and are in Africa, they learned war by destroying Grozny, breaking Georgia, they left Moldova divided, they brought Belarus to its knees. <…> Will we allow Russia to continue this march through Europe, this march of disregard for life and nations? Absolutely not. And it is our common interest, our common interest that Putin personally loses, loses this war, loses the attempt to push Europe to a point of no escape from the war».
In fact, all this verbal diarrhea was nothing but a rehearsal for another forum — the so-called International Peace Conference on Ukraine (without Russia’s participation), which took place on June 15–16 in Switzerland. Zelensky was even more eloquent there. We will write about this in the coming days.