Key Highlights of Ukraine’s Participation in the Premiere Security Summit in Singapore

On Sunday, June 1, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Singapore to attend the Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia’s premier defense summit, to address the conference and hold a number of meetings.

Particularly, Zelenskyy met with Singapore’s President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, Timor-Leste’s President José Ramos-Horta, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, and Singaporean investors.

During the meeting with Prime Minister of Singapore Lawrence Wong, Zelenskyy expressed his appreciation for Singapore’s consistent and resolute support for Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, its assistance in overcoming the humanitarian consequences of the full-scale Russian invasion, and the sanctions imposed. The President has also invited the Prime Minister to participate Peace Summit for Ukraine in person.

A meeting with the US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin was held among others, where the two parties engaged in discussions regarding Ukraine’s defense requirements, including training and equipping new brigades and the joint efforts needed to speed up the delivery of the F-16 fighter jets.

“This is the most important track now to protect the lives of Ukrainians, our cities, communities, and civilian infrastructure. It is crucial,” he said.

Zelenskyy conveyed appreciation for a significant decision made by the US Presidential Administration, permitting targeted strikes using American weaponry within Russia’s borders to counteract Russia’s efforts to broaden the war zone.

A positive achievement occured shortly after the meeting with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., when the Philippines agreed to participate in the Summit.

During his speech at the security conference in Singapore, Zelenskyy mentioned that 106 countries and organizations had committed to the peace summit in Switzerland. However, he expressed disappointment over some world leaders who hadn’t yet shown their support. He also pointed out Russia’s attempts to undermine the peace initiatives.

Furthermore, Ukraine’s President has met with top managers from leading Singapore investment firms on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue summit.

The event was attended by the heads of Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund GIC, investment fund Temasek Holdings, Wilmar International, Singapore Business Federation, investment company Blackstone Singapore, telecommunications operator SingTel, Universal Success Enterprises, and construction company Meinhardt Group.

Ukrainian leadership extended an invitation to Singaporean investors to participate in a conference in Berlin, co-organized with the European Union. The Berlin conference will focus on rebuilding, reforming, and revitalizing Ukraine’s economy. An initiative to secure international funding, undertake long-term projects, and create an appealing environment for investment in Ukraine will be presented there.

Zelenskyy has also reiterated Ukraine’s invitation to China and other global players to participate in the Global Peace Summit. He emphasized Ukraine’s openness to discussing all peace proposals, but stressed that the discussions will take place on Ukrainian terms.

“Of course, the Peace Summit is the beginning of the path to ending the war. There are three points there — this is not all, but there are three points that definitely lead to the end of the war, not to the beginning of another escalation by the Russian Federation,” Zelenskyy said.