On May 24, 2024, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky met with a group of journalists from Central Asian countries, namely from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan, and answered their questions. The meeting reportedly took place on the premises of the Factor-druk publishing house in Kharkiv that had been bombed the previous day. Speaking to Central Asian journalists, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy suggested some Central Asian countries are frightened of Moscow and urged them to join a Kyiv-backed peace initiative.

“Your leaders’ balance is a bit off. I think they are tilting towards Russia out of fear of the Kremlin”, he said. “Tell me what those who don’t join [the Ukraine peace summit] are afraid of? They are afraid of losing something, afraid of losing even their relationship with today’s Kremlin. That doesn’t help end the war. Imagine that one of your countries finds itself in – God Forbid – our situation. How would your people look at the countries that do not support [peace]? Or, they kind of support it, but do not join [peace initiatives]? Sanctions may be a government policy issue, but a peace summit is about nothing, but peace, and dialogue. Imagine that you are alone in the war against any aggressor at all. I think it is weakness, a sign of weakness [to just stand by]. We [Ukrainians] would certainly like Central Asian leaders to be present [at the summit] to show their support for the very event”.

The President of Ukraine also noted that “today, none of your countries can have either a........

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