Addressing business circles at the Davos Economic Forum, the biggest meeting of the business world, stating that Ukraine “needs 5 billion dollars every month to continue fighting with Russia,” President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenski asked the business world to go further in sanctions against Russia. Russia was not invited this year.
Zelenski also called for “maximum sanctions” for businessmen for Russia and said, “Get out of Russia completely, your names and brands should be mentioned with Russia, and trade with Russia should end. An oil embargo should come, all banks without exception should be blocked. Get out of Russia and go to Ukraine.” “Come to Ukraine for the restoration and restructuring of Turkey,” he said.
After the COVID-19 crisis, when the effects of the war were on everyone’s minds in the economic world, which was turned upside down by the Ukrainian war, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenski was the first to address the summit where the business world met. While Zelensky addressed Davos via videoconference, Foreign Minister Dimitro Kuleba, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko and a group of Ukrainian parliamentarians attended the meeting personally.
When we say world parliaments, European Parliament, Cannes Film Festival; President Zelenski, who used all communication channels to the fullest in his country’s war with Russia, this time addressed the Davos Economic Forum, where the world’s largest business circles gather.
Addressing the Davos guests from the Presidential table with his khaki green t-shirt, which is a part of his army uniform, as always, Zelenski was given a standing ovation at the end of his speech by the representatives of giant companies with a rare enthusiasm at the Forum.
In his speech, Zelenski stated that the history of humanity is at an important turning point and stated that Russia has “turned into a state that commits war crimes”. Stating that Russian President Vladimir Putin “attempted to invade Ukraine with ruthless brute force, without any discussion,” Zelenski said, “If in 2014, when Russia entered the Crimea, humanity had acted instead of reacting, this war would not have happened today. Russia is a “The war criminal has turned into a state,” he said.
“I propose to reconstruct Ukraine”
Stating that institutions such as the United Nations (UN), the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (AGIT), and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) are important, Zelenski underlined that they are not enough to solve the giant problems experienced today, “Ukraine has shown that today it is necessary to change the approach to the world. He showed the whole world that it is necessary not only to react to the events, but also to take precautionary action.”
Noting that the people of Ukraine “continue to resist with historical courage”, the Ukrainian leader asked the business world to increase the sanctions against Russia to the “maximum” level:
“At the beginning of the war it was said that we could not last even a few days. We have stopped the world’s second army, even gradually removing it from our lands. Ukraine has started something new. The whole democratic world is with us. Ladies and gentlemen, do not wait for the terrible fire for further assistance to Ukraine, Do not expect Russia to use atomic bombs, nuclear or chemical weapons. Sanctions on Russia should be maximised. Russian oil should be embargoed, all banks should be blocked without exception, technology exports to Russia, trade should stop altogether. All business should leave Russia. Your brands should not be mentioned in cooperation with Russia. Values should be important. Leave the Russian markets, come to Ukraine. 40 million Ukrainians are also an important market. We recommend the world to restructure the country.
I urge you to take part in the restructuring. Some cities need to be completely restructured and restored. All these restorations and constructions create an important economic opportunity.”
“We need 5 billion dollars a month”
Zelenski stated that they “owed gratitude” to the democratic world for the aid provided to Ukraine, but stated that they needed more than the weapons given to them.
“Ukraine needs 5 billion dollars a month,” said Zelenski.
The Ukrainian War is on the agenda of the economic world
The business world, which met in Davos, Switzerland’s famous ski resort after a two-year hiatus due to the Covid-19 epidemic, held its traditional annual meeting online in 2021, and had to postpone this year’s meeting from January to May due to the Omicron variant.
Three months after the occupation of Ukraine by Russia, the risks posed by the war for the recovery of the world economy will be on the agenda of the largest business representatives meeting in Davos today.
After the Western sanctions against Russia, the Davos organization did not invite the Russians, who usually represent a large contingent of participants, to the summit this year. The “Russian house” opposite the building where the summit was held has also been converted into a “Russian war crimes house” where various support activities will be held for Ukraine.
The Oxfam Report and the food concern
The war in Ukraine is also shaking the global economy, which has just begun to emerge from the shock of the pandemic. In particular, it is fueling rising energy and food prices due to supply concerns and creating a real crisis in the cost of living. British charity Oxfam, which published its traditional report just before the opening of the Davos Forum, announced that it predicts 263 million people this year, or “one million people falling into extreme poverty every 33 hours”. Oxfam also published a report revealing that “a new billionaire is created every 30 hours” during the pandemic period.