Thunderous applause greeted the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, upon his entry into the Bundestag chamber yesterday, where he held a speech on the occasion of the Conference on the Reconstruction of Ukraine (URC), underway in Berlin, once again calling for systems Patriot – “at least seven” – and every type of armament that can help Kiev’s air defense. The ovation involved the entire hemicycle, except for the far left and far right benches, which remained empty. The deputies of both the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance – Reason and Justice (BSW) and the Alternative for Germany (Afd) boycotted Zelensky’s speech. A representation of that closeness to Russia, passed off as instrumental pacifism, which characterizes both formations. A serious institutional disgrace, the coup de théâtre became a resounding slap in the face of Zelensky, in the statement with which the AfD co-presidents, Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla, announced their group’s exit from the chamber. A “ragged president” in a “camouflage suit” who remains in office only because his country is at war, i.e. lacks legitimacy: in this way the AfD leaders insulted Zelensky. For Weidel and Chrupalla, Ukraine needs a “president ready to negotiate peace”: an implicit hope for a regime change in Kiev to put an end to the conflict, perhaps on the terms of the Russia that triggered it. Moscow’s aggression against Ukraine was, however, explicitly condemned by the BSW. At the same time, the party accused the Ukrainian president of contributing to fueling tension by accepting the risk of a nuclear conflict with devastating consequences for all of Europe.
Not at all intimidated by AfD and BSW, Zelenksy gave a speech in which he highlighted how the war in his country must end without there being any doubts about the winner, that is, his country. Furthermore, Ukraine will not have to be divided, like Germany after the Second World War, giving up territories to Russia. For Zelensky, the aggressor country will have to assume responsibility for the conflict and pay for the damage it has caused. In fact, Ukraine has an enormous need not only of weapons to defend itself, but also of financing for reconstruction: 500 billion euros in ten years, according to German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Italy will do its part, as Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani declared to the Urc, by providing the country attacked by Russia with a Samp/T air defense system and 140 million euros for infrastructure support interventions. In particular, 45 million will be allocated to the reconstruction of the Cathedral of the Transfiguration in Odessa, “a city that feels Italian”, as stated by the head of the Farnesina. The entire Italian system has mobilized for Ukraine, in a synergy of government and businesses that sees numerous companies present at the Urc. Now, the direction of international support for the former Soviet republic passes to the Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, who will lead the G7 summit scheduled in Borgo Egnazia from tomorrow to 15 June.
Meanwhile, news arrives from the United States of the American green light for the use of American weapons, intended for the Azov Brigade, the Ukrainian military unit considered one of the best in the Kiev army and known for its tenacious resistance.
The State Department, according to the Washington Post, has lifted a ban imposed years ago. The angry reaction from the Kremlin was immediate, which through its spokesman Peskov accused the US of “being ready to flirt with neo-Nazis”.
