AKA CONSTRUCTION WORKERS
DPA
Tue, June 11, 2024
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky (L) and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz shake hands at the end of their joint press conference during the International Ukraine Reconstruction conference in Berlin. Kay Nietfeld/dpa
A group of international partners, including Germany, announced the launch of a worker training programme for Ukraine aimed at preparing young people with skills to help rebuild the country.
The initiative plans to train 180,000 people in skills needed for Ukraine's reconstruction, according to German Development Minister Svenja Schulze, who announced the initiative on Tuesday at an international conference on Ukrainian recovery in Berlin.
Germany will be joined by a number of other countries as well as international organizations and business groups in the effort, which will be backed by €700 million ($750 million) in funding, Schulze said.
"In this way, we are providing Ukraine with important support in times of war and during reconstruction. No matter how often Russia destroys power lines, hospitals or buildings, the Ukrainians will have the knowledge and skills to rebuild them," Schulze said on Tuesday.
The programme is expected to run for three years and is primarily aimed at young people, the internally displaced and women.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, arrive for a joint press conference during the International Ukraine Reconstruction conference in Berlin. Britta Pedersen/dpa
Volodymyr Zelensky, President of Ukraine, speaks at a press conference at the Ukraine Conference. The international reconstruction conference for Ukraine will take place in Berlin on June 11 and 12. Britta Pedersen/dpa
German populist lawmakers stage boycott of Zelensky speech in Berlin
DPA
Tue, June 11, 2024
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky delivers a speech at the German Parliament (Bundestag). Zelensky is in Berlin for the International Ukraine Reconstruction conference in Berlin. Bernd von Jutrczenka/dpa
Most German lawmakers from the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) and the upstart populist Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) boycotted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's speech on Tuesday to Germany's parliament, the Bundestag.
Only four of the AfD's 77 lawmakers turned up in the Bundestag chamber in Berlin ahead of Zelensky's speech after party leaders told them not to attend. None of the 10 members of the BSW showed up, either.
Leaders from mainstream German political parties expressed disgust with both the AfD and the BSW for the stunt.
Both the AfD and BSW have vehemently opposed military aid for Ukraine. A number of AfD members in particular have expressed support for Russia and admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"We refuse to listen to a speaker in a camouflage suit," the AfD's co-leaders Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla said. "The government should not give him a stage for reconstruction begging. The citizens are paying more than enough for military aid, EU aid and welfare benefits for Ukrainian" refugees.
The AfD leaders claimed that what Ukraine needs is a peace president who is willing to negotiate.
The BSW, which broke away from the hard-left Die Linke (The Left) party and has been campaigning on a platform combining left-wing economic policy with some hard-right stances, also denounced Zelensky.
"Unfortunately, President Zelensky is currently helping to promote a highly dangerous spiral of escalation and is accepting the risk of a nuclear conflict with devastating consequences for the whole of Europe," the party claimed in a statement. "He should therefore not be honoured with a special event in the German Bundestag."
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky delivers a speech at the German Parliament (Bundestag). Zelensky is in Berlin for the International Ukraine Reconstruction conference in Berlin. Hannes Albert/dpa
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky delivers a speech at the German Parliament (Bundestag). Zelensky is in Berlin for the International Ukraine Reconstruction conference in Berlin. Hannes Albert/dpa
German far-right, far-left MPs boycott Zelensky speech on Russia
Sebastien ASH and Isabelle LE PAGE
Tue, June 11, 2024 a
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (L) and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz both stressed the need for more air defence help for Kyiv (JOHN MACDOUGALL)
German far-right and left-wing nationalist lawmakers boycotted a parliamentary address by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky Tuesday, who earlier had warned that pro-Russian rhetoric posed a growing danger to EU nations.
Zelensky's speech came at the start of a diplomatic whirlwind tour to shore up support for Kyiv's battle against Russia.
In an illustration of the increasing headwind Kyiv faces to obtain backing, MPs from Germany's far-right AfD and far-left BSW parties boycotted Zelensky's address to parliament.
Both parties made huge gains in Sunday's European elections, with the AfD scoring higher than all three parties in Chancellor Olaf Scholz's coalition, while the BSW, a newcomer which campaigned against weapon deliveries to Ukraine, took just over six percent.
Zelensky cautioned that the parties' stance posed a threat that stretched beyond Ukraine.
"It seems to me that the most important thing is that people did not choose pro-Russian populist rhetoric. But radical pro-Russian rhetoric is dangerous for your countries," Zelensky warned, speaking at a press conference before his parliament address.
The co-leaders of the AfD said they "refused to listen to a speaker wearing camouflage fatigues".
"Ukraine does not need a war president now, it needs a peace president who is ready to negotiate," said Tino Chrupalla and Alice Weidel, adding that AfD MPs had therefore decided to leave their seats empty at the Bundestag on Tuesday.
Not only in Germany but across the EU, the far-right's gains have triggered fears over the future of Western backing for Ukraine.
- 'No dictated peace' -
Ahead of a peace conference for Ukraine in Switzerland, to which Russia is not invited, parties like the AfD are pushing the message that the West's current strategy to arm Ukraine will not bring an end to hostilities.
But Scholz, speaking at a Ukraine reconstruction conference in Berlin, vowed not to let up support for Kyiv.
He urged allies to rush air defence systems to Ukraine to help the country fend off Russia's missiles, and said that Russian President Vladimir Putin will not be allowed to win the war.
"There will be no military victory and no dictated peace," Scholz said, adding that Putin must "end his brutal campaign and withdraw his troops."
Zelensky also pleaded for help.
"Russia's greatest strategic advantage over Ukraine is superiority in the sky. It is missile and bomb terror that helps Russian troops advance on the ground," Zelensky said, adding that "air defence is the answer".
Germany has contributed three Patriot air defence systems to Kyiv, while Zelensky said a total of seven Patriots are needed for Ukraine to shield its urban centres from the storm of Russian missiles.
Later Tuesday Zelensky visited a military training area in Sanitz, northern Germany, where Ukrainian troops are trained on the Patriot systems, along with German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius.
Pistorius promised Ukraine a further 100 Patriot missiles, as well as additional sniper rifles, anti-tank weapons and drones.
- Air attacks -
After almost a year of stalemate, Ukraine has been forced to abandon dozens of frontline settlements this spring, with Russian troops holding a significant advantage in manpower and resources.
Russia on Tuesday said it had captured two more villages in eastern Ukraine: Timkovka in the northeastern Kharkiv region and Miasozharivka, calling it by its Russian name of Artemovka, in the eastern Lugansk region.
Ukrainian prosecutors in the industrial region, which the Kremlin claimed to have annexed in late 2022, meanwhile said five people had been wounded in an overnight Russian strike on the frontline town of Kostyantynivka.
With the war at a critical juncture, Zelensky is ramping up a diplomatic offensive for support.
After Berlin, Zelensky will head to the G7 summit in southern Italy, which will be attended by leaders including US President Joe Biden.
G7 leaders hope to agree a deal on using the profits from the interest on 300 billion euros ($325 billion) of frozen Russian central bank assets to help Kyiv.
- Swiss peace summit -
After the G7 meeting, Zelensky will head to Switzerland for the peace summit from Saturday, to be attended by representatives from some 90 countries and international organisations.
Organised at Ukraine's request, the summit's outcome remains uncertain, though Switzerland is hoping to secure a joint final declaration.
However Biden is skipping the summit, with Vice President Kamala Harris instead attending, in a blow to Zelensky who had pushed for the US president to participate.
The Kremlin has repeatedly said it would not participate in any negotiations if Kyiv does not accept Moscow's annexation of the approximately 20 percent of Ukrainian territory Russia currently occupies.
Moscow's key ally China will also be absent from the conference.
bur-hmn-sr/
DPA
Tue, June 11, 2024
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky (L) and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz shake hands at the end of their joint press conference during the International Ukraine Reconstruction conference in Berlin. Kay Nietfeld/dpa
A group of international partners, including Germany, announced the launch of a worker training programme for Ukraine aimed at preparing young people with skills to help rebuild the country.
The initiative plans to train 180,000 people in skills needed for Ukraine's reconstruction, according to German Development Minister Svenja Schulze, who announced the initiative on Tuesday at an international conference on Ukrainian recovery in Berlin.
Germany will be joined by a number of other countries as well as international organizations and business groups in the effort, which will be backed by €700 million ($750 million) in funding, Schulze said.
"In this way, we are providing Ukraine with important support in times of war and during reconstruction. No matter how often Russia destroys power lines, hospitals or buildings, the Ukrainians will have the knowledge and skills to rebuild them," Schulze said on Tuesday.
The programme is expected to run for three years and is primarily aimed at young people, the internally displaced and women.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, arrive for a joint press conference during the International Ukraine Reconstruction conference in Berlin. Britta Pedersen/dpa
Volodymyr Zelensky, President of Ukraine, speaks at a press conference at the Ukraine Conference. The international reconstruction conference for Ukraine will take place in Berlin on June 11 and 12. Britta Pedersen/dpa
German populist lawmakers stage boycott of Zelensky speech in Berlin
DPA
Tue, June 11, 2024
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky delivers a speech at the German Parliament (Bundestag). Zelensky is in Berlin for the International Ukraine Reconstruction conference in Berlin. Bernd von Jutrczenka/dpa
Most German lawmakers from the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) and the upstart populist Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) boycotted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's speech on Tuesday to Germany's parliament, the Bundestag.
Only four of the AfD's 77 lawmakers turned up in the Bundestag chamber in Berlin ahead of Zelensky's speech after party leaders told them not to attend. None of the 10 members of the BSW showed up, either.
Leaders from mainstream German political parties expressed disgust with both the AfD and the BSW for the stunt.
Both the AfD and BSW have vehemently opposed military aid for Ukraine. A number of AfD members in particular have expressed support for Russia and admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"We refuse to listen to a speaker in a camouflage suit," the AfD's co-leaders Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla said. "The government should not give him a stage for reconstruction begging. The citizens are paying more than enough for military aid, EU aid and welfare benefits for Ukrainian" refugees.
The AfD leaders claimed that what Ukraine needs is a peace president who is willing to negotiate.
The BSW, which broke away from the hard-left Die Linke (The Left) party and has been campaigning on a platform combining left-wing economic policy with some hard-right stances, also denounced Zelensky.
"Unfortunately, President Zelensky is currently helping to promote a highly dangerous spiral of escalation and is accepting the risk of a nuclear conflict with devastating consequences for the whole of Europe," the party claimed in a statement. "He should therefore not be honoured with a special event in the German Bundestag."
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky delivers a speech at the German Parliament (Bundestag). Zelensky is in Berlin for the International Ukraine Reconstruction conference in Berlin. Hannes Albert/dpa
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky delivers a speech at the German Parliament (Bundestag). Zelensky is in Berlin for the International Ukraine Reconstruction conference in Berlin. Hannes Albert/dpa
German far-right, far-left MPs boycott Zelensky speech on Russia
Sebastien ASH and Isabelle LE PAGE
Tue, June 11, 2024 a
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (L) and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz both stressed the need for more air defence help for Kyiv (JOHN MACDOUGALL)
German far-right and left-wing nationalist lawmakers boycotted a parliamentary address by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky Tuesday, who earlier had warned that pro-Russian rhetoric posed a growing danger to EU nations.
Zelensky's speech came at the start of a diplomatic whirlwind tour to shore up support for Kyiv's battle against Russia.
In an illustration of the increasing headwind Kyiv faces to obtain backing, MPs from Germany's far-right AfD and far-left BSW parties boycotted Zelensky's address to parliament.
Both parties made huge gains in Sunday's European elections, with the AfD scoring higher than all three parties in Chancellor Olaf Scholz's coalition, while the BSW, a newcomer which campaigned against weapon deliveries to Ukraine, took just over six percent.
Zelensky cautioned that the parties' stance posed a threat that stretched beyond Ukraine.
"It seems to me that the most important thing is that people did not choose pro-Russian populist rhetoric. But radical pro-Russian rhetoric is dangerous for your countries," Zelensky warned, speaking at a press conference before his parliament address.
The co-leaders of the AfD said they "refused to listen to a speaker wearing camouflage fatigues".
"Ukraine does not need a war president now, it needs a peace president who is ready to negotiate," said Tino Chrupalla and Alice Weidel, adding that AfD MPs had therefore decided to leave their seats empty at the Bundestag on Tuesday.
Not only in Germany but across the EU, the far-right's gains have triggered fears over the future of Western backing for Ukraine.
- 'No dictated peace' -
Ahead of a peace conference for Ukraine in Switzerland, to which Russia is not invited, parties like the AfD are pushing the message that the West's current strategy to arm Ukraine will not bring an end to hostilities.
But Scholz, speaking at a Ukraine reconstruction conference in Berlin, vowed not to let up support for Kyiv.
He urged allies to rush air defence systems to Ukraine to help the country fend off Russia's missiles, and said that Russian President Vladimir Putin will not be allowed to win the war.
"There will be no military victory and no dictated peace," Scholz said, adding that Putin must "end his brutal campaign and withdraw his troops."
Zelensky also pleaded for help.
"Russia's greatest strategic advantage over Ukraine is superiority in the sky. It is missile and bomb terror that helps Russian troops advance on the ground," Zelensky said, adding that "air defence is the answer".
Germany has contributed three Patriot air defence systems to Kyiv, while Zelensky said a total of seven Patriots are needed for Ukraine to shield its urban centres from the storm of Russian missiles.
Later Tuesday Zelensky visited a military training area in Sanitz, northern Germany, where Ukrainian troops are trained on the Patriot systems, along with German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius.
Pistorius promised Ukraine a further 100 Patriot missiles, as well as additional sniper rifles, anti-tank weapons and drones.
- Air attacks -
After almost a year of stalemate, Ukraine has been forced to abandon dozens of frontline settlements this spring, with Russian troops holding a significant advantage in manpower and resources.
Russia on Tuesday said it had captured two more villages in eastern Ukraine: Timkovka in the northeastern Kharkiv region and Miasozharivka, calling it by its Russian name of Artemovka, in the eastern Lugansk region.
Ukrainian prosecutors in the industrial region, which the Kremlin claimed to have annexed in late 2022, meanwhile said five people had been wounded in an overnight Russian strike on the frontline town of Kostyantynivka.
With the war at a critical juncture, Zelensky is ramping up a diplomatic offensive for support.
After Berlin, Zelensky will head to the G7 summit in southern Italy, which will be attended by leaders including US President Joe Biden.
G7 leaders hope to agree a deal on using the profits from the interest on 300 billion euros ($325 billion) of frozen Russian central bank assets to help Kyiv.
- Swiss peace summit -
After the G7 meeting, Zelensky will head to Switzerland for the peace summit from Saturday, to be attended by representatives from some 90 countries and international organisations.
Organised at Ukraine's request, the summit's outcome remains uncertain, though Switzerland is hoping to secure a joint final declaration.
However Biden is skipping the summit, with Vice President Kamala Harris instead attending, in a blow to Zelensky who had pushed for the US president to participate.
The Kremlin has repeatedly said it would not participate in any negotiations if Kyiv does not accept Moscow's annexation of the approximately 20 percent of Ukrainian territory Russia currently occupies.
Moscow's key ally China will also be absent from the conference.
bur-hmn-sr/
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