WEF 2022: Ukraine urges global leaders to provide more heavy artillery

World Economic forum (WEF) 2022: There is still an urgent need for weapon supplies, said the Ukraine Foreign Minister at WEF Annual Meeting 2022

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba struck a defiant tone in a session at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2022 on Wednesday, categorically rejecting the idea that Ukraine should give up territory for Russia's President Vladimir Putin to save face.

“Making concessions failed between 2014 and 2022, ultimately bringing us all the biggest war in Europe since the Second World War," he said.

When asked about the possibility of a negotiated peace, Kuleba said, “If Russia had preferred dialogue to war, they would have behaved differently.”

He said there is still an urgent need for weapon supplies and urged global leaders to provide more heavy artillery to Ukraine.

Kuleba pointed out that the sanctions policy on Russia should be reconsidered.

“The Ukrainian economy is suffering more from Russian attacks than the Russian economy is suffering from sanctions,” the foreign minister said, adding that the world’s taxpayers should not pay for Russian aggression, suggesting “we should make Russia pay” through seizure of assets.

Addressing food and commodity shortages, Kuleba said that those who may have believed the situation would only affect Russia and Ukraine are already feeling the pressure of the food crisis.

He reminded global leaders that “the price for every delayed decision is loss of life and loss of territory.” Kuleba said that while the situation is better than a month ago, countries should not drag their feet when making important decisions.

When asked about whether Ukraine will ever join Nato, he said: “We are focused on winning the war.”

“This is the war for our existence and our identity. This is the war between Russia as a state and the people of Ukraine, and it is impossible to win a war against the people.”