The Ukrainian president’s remarks were made in anticipation of the second day of the Ukraine Recovery Conference taking place in London. Additionally, he expressed praise for the progress achieved on the front line of the conflict.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed his gratitude to allies, including the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union, for their support packages announced on the first day of the London-hosted conference focused on Ukrainian recovery.
During his nightly address, Zelenskyy highlighted the objective of the conference, which continues on Thursday, to secure international business support for Ukraine’s transformation.
He emphasized the need to translate the moral leadership of the Ukrainian people into economic leadership for the country. Zelenskyy stated, “All the prerequisites for this exist, first of all, in our people, in our beautiful strong nation.”
On the first day of the two-day conference, the United Kingdom announced a $3 billion package over the next three years, while the European Commission pledged a support package of €50 billion over the next four years.
Germany committed €381 million in humanitarian assistance for this year, and France pledged €40 million. The United States will provide over $1.3 billion in additional aid.
Attended by leaders and representatives from over 60 countries, this conference is the second to be held since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Addressing matters on the ground, Zelenskyy also expressed his gratitude to Ukrainian troops for “every shot down a Russian helicopter.”
He said forces were “advancing in the South,” and defenses “firming in the East.”
Gas explosion rocks Kyiv residential building
In the early hours of Thursday, a devastating gas explosion occurred in a high-rise building located in the Ukrainian capital, as confirmed by the Kyiv City Military Administration.
Serhii Popko, the head of the administration, indicated that the explosion was initially suspected to have been caused by a gas leak. The authorities initiated a search operation to locate any potential victims of the incident.
As a result of the explosion, four apartments were completely demolished, while an additional six apartments sustained varying degrees of damage.
The administration shared photographs on the messaging platform Telegram, purportedly depicting the building that was affected by the explosion.
The images revealed significant flames engulfing several middle floors. According to their report, one person tragically lost their lives in the incident, but 18 individuals were successfully rescued by the emergency responders.
More DW coverage on Russia’s war in Ukraine
DW (Deutsche Welle) explores the challenges faced by journalists covering the war in Ukraine in the digital age, particularly due to the abundance of video footage emerging from the frontline trenches.
As Ukraine embarks on the daunting task of rebuilding, the final cost remains uncertain, compounded by ongoing Russian strikes on towns and cities.
To gain insights into the rebuilding efforts, reporter Sonia Phalnikar visits the village of Moshchun and the town of Irpin, located outside Kyiv. The report provides a firsthand account of the ongoing efforts. You can watch the report below.
