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Lazar Semini, The Associated Press
1 hour ago
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama (right) welcomes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy before a meeting in Tirana, Albania, Wednesday, February 28, 2024. Albania will host a summit of southeastern European countries on peace, security and cooperation on Thursday, with a focus on war. In Ukraine. (AP Photo/Armando Babani)
TIRANA, Albania (AP) – Ukraine’s president will co-host a summit with the Albanian government on Wednesday to urge more support for Kiev from southeastern European nations, as Russia’s full-scale invasion shows signs of fatigue two years on. The purpose is to
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy arrived just before midnight on Tuesday, the last stop on an international tour that began in Saudi Arabia earlier Tuesday to promote peace plans and the repatriation of prisoners of war from Russia.
In a message on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday, President Zelensky called Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama a “steadfast friend of Ukraine” and said the two would “discuss defense and political cooperation, support for a peace official, and security agreements.” added.
Referring to the summit, he said: “We support Ukraine’s efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace and propose to hold a world peace summit in Switzerland.”
President Zelenskiy and President Rama also signed an agreement of friendship and cooperation to “strengthen cooperation with Albania and Ukraine’s positions in the Balkans.” President Zelenskiy also awarded Rama the Order of Yaroslav the Wise in recognition of his contributions to Ukraine.
Zelenskiy will be accompanied by Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.
President Rama wrote on Facebook that he was proud to welcome President Zelenskiy to “promote solidarity meetings and our democratic efforts against Russian aggression.”
Securing further support is key for Ukrainian leaders as the country faces challenges on the battlefield. President Zelensky announced on Sunday that 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed in action since the Russian invasion. This is the first time Kiev has confirmed the number of losses.
Ukraine called on Western leaders to expand joint production of arms and ammunition, improve Ukraine’s air defense system and apply new pressure on Russia through expanded sanctions. The head of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) said the US-led military alliance has no plans to send troops to Ukraine, and Germany, Poland and others said the same this week.
The Albanian summit was attended by 11 countries from southeastern Europe, including Ukraine’s neighbors, three of which sent online messages along with officials from the European Union and other international organizations.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Albania earlier this month.
However, not all countries fully support Ukraine’s war against Russia. Serbia, a Kremlin ally, is the only European country to refuse to comply with EU sanctions in the wake of the Russian invasion. We continue to conclude cooperation agreements with Russia.
Albania, a NATO member since 2009 and a candidate for EU membership, has expressed full support for Kiev against Russian aggression. It has provided military aid to the Ukrainian military in the form of ammunition and training. It was one of the first countries to offer shelter to Ukrainian refugees. Joined international sanctions against Russian officials and institutions.
For the past two years, Albania has been a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, joining the United States in initiating resolutions against Russian aggression.
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Follow Llazar Semini at https://x.com/lsemini
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