Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, left, greets Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak upon his arrival to the Presidential Palace in Kyiv on Jan. 12, 2024. (Stefan Rousseau/AFP/Getty Images/TNS)
Volodymyr Zelenskyy is planning a tour of Western European capitals around this week’s Munich Security Conference, according to people with knowledge of the matter, as the Ukrainian president seeks military support amid the funding fight in Washington.
Zelenskyy will probably visit Paris and Berlin as part of the trip, the people said, emphasizing that the plans still are not confirmed. The Ukrainian leader is expected to attend the annual conference in Munich, which runs Thursday to Sunday, according to the people.
Representatives of the French and German governments declined to comment. Zelenskyy’s office doesn’t comment on his travel schedule out of safety concerns.
As supplies of ammunition dwindle, Zelenskyy needs to make the case for faster military aid to push back against Russia’s invasion, one of the people said. He’s likely to push for talks on security guarantees, the person said.
Zelenskyy and his military leadership have blamed the failure of last year’s counteroffensive to break through Russia’s strong defense lines on delays in the delivery of Western military equipment. More than $60 billion of U.S. support remains stalled amid objections by some Republicans in the run-up to the presidential election.
A pause in the fighting would give Russia the opportunity to again replenish troops and military stockpiles, enabling it to strike with greater force, Zelenskyy has said. He is seeking security guarantees with Group of Seven countries in case the current war ends and Russia attacks again. Ukraine signed its first such pact with the United Kingdom last month.
Meetings in London are also being discussed, although Zelenskyy’s team is focusing on countries that haven’t yet signed security guarantees, one of the people said.
In his daily address, Zelenskyy said he was preparing to share Ukraine’s vision in Munich for what he described as a “decisive year.”
“Cooperation matters,” the Ukrainian president said. “And I am grateful to everyone in the world who realizes this, to everyone who helps, to every leader, every state that seeks a fair peace as much as Ukrainians do.”
Bloomberg reporters Daryna Krasnolutska and Michael Nienaber contributed to this story.
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