Zelensky, Scholz make urgent appeal for more air defence to Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz both made urgent appeals to supply Ukraine with more air defence systems at the start of an international Ukraine reconstruction conference in Berlin on Tuesday.

Scholz called on allies to support a German initiative to bolster Ukraine's air defences "with everything possible."

"Because the best reconstruction is the one that doesn't have to happen in the first place," Scholz said.

Zelensky said that his country needs at least seven more Patriot air defence missile systems soon in order to protect major cities from frequent Russian airstrikes.

He also said that his country needs more help to rebuild energy infrastructure that has been ravaged by frequent Russian attacks.

Zelensky's remarks to the conference in Berlin were frequently interrupted by applause from the gathered leaders and officials from businesses and international organizations.

Development and reconstruction efforts

The Berlin conference is aimed at bringing together about 2,000 people from around the world involved in development and reconstruction efforts in Ukraine. It is not expected to be a donor conference aimed at raising money.

Zelensky also gave an emotional speech to Germany's parliament, the Bundestag, on Tuesday afternoon while in Berlin. He called on his country's supporters to work together to successfully end the Russian war against his country. "It is in our common interest that Putin personally lose this war," Zelensky said.

Russia must take full responsibility for unleashing the war and be forced to "pay for all the damage caused by this aggression," he added. The trip is his third visit to Berlin since the start of Russia's all-out invasion in February 2022.

In a post to X on Monday, Zelensky said that talks with Scholz on "further defence assistance, the expansion of Ukraine's air defence system, and joint arms production" are also planned for his visit to Berlin.

In his speech to the conference, Zelensky thanked the German government for their efforts to supply more air defence and other aid, including two Patriot systems and promises of a third, which Ukrainian soldiers are currently being trained on.

Italy's Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani announced at the conference on Tuesday that Italy was prepared to send a new military package with air defence equipment.

But despite aid received so far, Russian forces still hold a strategic advantage in the air, Zelensky said, with glide bombs, missiles and drones inflicting severe damage.

Zelensky said that the only way to get Russian President Vladimir Putin to negotiate for peace is to deny him the chance to make gains by force in Ukraine.

Electricity supplies as weapon against the people

Zelensky accused Putin of using Ukraine's electricity supplies as a weapon against the people, with Russian airstrikes having knocked out about nine gigawatts of power generation capacity.

Last winter, Ukraine's energy consumption peaked at about 18 gigawatts, and the country now faces severe potential shortfalls, Zelensky said.

He said that around 80% of heat generation and a third of hydropower have been destroyed by Russian attacks, which are also targeting gas storage facilities.

Without international investments and loans, Zelensky warned that Ukraine probably would not succeed in rebuilding its energy system.

In his remarks, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz held out the prospect of far-reaching and long-term commitments for reconstruction in the country, which has been severely scarred by more than two years of costly all-out war and years of simmering conflict before that.

Scholz said he will push for those kinds of commitments at an upcoming summit of the G7 group of wealthy democratic countries, which begins in Italy on Thursday.

The chancellor pointed out that the World Bank estimates that $500 billion in reconstruction aid will be needed over the next decade.

He also called on private companies to participate with investments: "In view of the scale we are talking about here, private capital must be added."

Hundreds of German companies continue to do active business in Ukraine, with automotive firms alone employing about 35,000 people in Ukraine, Scholz emphasized.

No reduction in German investment in Ukraine

Despite the war, there was no reduction in German investment in Ukraine, Scholz said, and the volume of trade had increased significantly since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.

"All of this shows me that the business sector understands the potential Ukraine has," Scholz said.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also spoke on Tuesday, voicing her support for opening EU accession negotiations with Ukraine from the end of June. Ukraine has fulfilled all agreed reform steps, she said.

Ukraine currently has the status of an EU accession candidate. An EU summit in December last year decided to start accession negotiations, but no date for the start of talks has yet been agreed. Hungary said it still has additional demands.

Von der Leyen announced that the country would receive an additional €1.9 billion ($2 billion) from the new Ukraine support programme by the end of June, with much additional funding potentially to follow.

She said that the funding is also in recognition of the comprehensive reforms in the country and that the EU is supporting Ukraine in its economic recovery, reconstruction and modernization.