Zelenskyy hopes to secure military investment and humanitarian aid

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is seeking foreign military investment as well as humanitarian aid ahead of the winter.

Zelenskyy met up with CEOs and top managers of the world’s leading defence companies at the second International Defence Industries Forum. This large-scale event brought together more than 30 countries, nearly 300 companies and hundreds of participants.

They discussed expanding cooperation to strengthen the Ukrainian defence sector. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Ukraine’s defence production has increased significantly, but Ukraine needs foreign experience, access to supply chains and technology to continue growing, Ukrainian authorities say.

Zelenskyy also met with the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Samantha Power. During the meeting, Zelenskyy stressed the importance of US support heading into winter.

The main topics of discussion with Samantha Power included the implementation of projects aimed at strengthening Ukraine’s energy grid, restoring critical infrastructure, enhancing air defence and building school shelters.

“Your support before and during the winter period is very important to us. We are counting on your increased support. I think this is the most important, the biggest priority,” Zelenskyy told Power.

According to Power, USAID is involved in the renovation of 10,000 school shelters in Ukraine.

Meanwhile, in his nightly address, Zelenskyy said that Ukraine and its neighbours “need to shoot down ‘Shahed’ drones, shoot down missiles together, and especially in areas close to NATO countries.”

Zelenskyy said that it’s “absolutely possible”, adding that “every time in the Middle East, during brutal Iranian strikes, we see the international coalition acting together.”

He said that Russia launched an attack Tuesday evening on Ukraine with Shahed drones that “targeted ordinary civilian infrastructure – a ferry terminal, cargo trucks, a warehouse with grain.”

“The very thing that Russian terrorists always perceive as a target is the food security of the region and the world,” Zelenskyy added.