SHANGRI-LA DIALOGUE
Speaking in an address and question-and-answer session at the security summit, Mr Zelenskyy said that diplomacy – in the form of a peace summit later this month – was the best way to end a “cruel war” that has killed thousands in his country since 2022.
On the sidelines of the summit, the Ukraine leader met with delegates from various countries, including Indonesia’s president-elect Prabowo Subianto, a delegation from the US Congress, as well as the president of Timor-Leste, Jose Ramos-Horta.
Mr Zelenskyy also had talks with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin for more than an hour on Sunday, where the two “pledged to further strengthen the strategic defence partnership between the United States and Ukraine”, said a Pentagon official.
The Shangri-La Dialogue is Asia’s premier defence summit to discuss critical security challenges in the Asia-Pacific. Security assistance for Ukraine was one of the key issues discussed at this year’s dialogue.
Russia has not attended the Shangri-La Dialogue since the invasion.