Kiev, June 1, (dpa/GNA) – Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, arrived in Singapore on Saturday on a surprise visit to take part in the Shangri-La Dialogue, a security conference in the Asia-Pacific region.
Zelensky said on the social media platform Telegram that he would participate in the forum, and hold bilateral meetings with leaders such as Singapore’s President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, and US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.
The Ukrainian president emphasized the importance of including voices from the Asia-Pacific region at an upcoming peace conference in Switzerland on June 15-16.
Organizers said Zelensky would speak at the Shangri-La Dialogue on Sunday.
Hundreds of ministers, military leaders and defence experts from across the region are due to take part in the annual conference organized by a London-based think tank, the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS).
The Singaporean newspaper reported that Zelensky, also hopes to meet with Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun on the fringes of the forum, with the aim of securing China’s participation in the Swiss peace talks.
China has been reluctant to commit to the summit, which is being held to discuss pathways for peace in Ukraine. Russia, which invaded its neighbour in February 2022, has not been invited.
Chinese Foreign Office spokeswoman Mao Ning said in Beijing on Friday that China, sees a gap between the aims of the conference and its own stance on the conflict.
GNA