Zelensky, who has repeatedly used his personal charisma to build global support for Ukraine’s defense and obtain billions of dollars in arms from the West, sought to make common cause with countries experiencing in their own years of violent conflict as he pleaded for stronger condemnation of President Vladimir Putin’s aggression in Russia.
“Look at how much suffering the long-term wars have brought to Libya, Syria, Yemen; how many lives have been wasted in years of fighting in Sudan and Somalia, in Iraq and Afghanistan,” Zelensky said, speaking in English. “Everyone who increases suffering by his new aggressions, everyone who sows strife, everyone who wants to bring back the old days of aggression…every aggressive . .. will be cursed by people.”
“I greet everyone who is willing to join us on the path of justice,” he said.
As in most of his public speeches, Zelensky carefully tailored his message to his audience, referring to most countries by name and appealing to Muslim unity and anti-imperialism. In particular, he repeatedly returned to the situation of the Crimean Tatar population in Ukraine, which he described as “the center of Muslim culture in Ukraine.”
“For centuries the Crimean Tatars have been, and should remain, an integral and strong part of the Muslim world community, but Crimea was the first to suffer Russian occupation, and until now most of those subject to repression in. the occupied Crimea are Muslims,” Zelensky said, referring to Russia’s illegal invasion and occupation of the peninsula in 2014.
“I believe that one day your people will also return to see our Crimea – Ukrainian Crimea without Russia’s occupation and humiliation,” he said.
Friday’s Arab League meeting was notable for the return of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who attended for the first time since being suspended from the regional group 12 years ago. Assad was sacked by many fellow leaders after his brutal crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators sparked a brutal civil war in which hundreds of thousands died.
Assad owes his political survival to Russia, which intervened in the war and carried out brutal bombing campaigns against anti-government forces. The Wagner mercenary group in Russia, currently fighting in Ukraine, is also active in Syria.
So it’s surprising that Assad, who presided over the leveling of cities in his own country, appeared in the same room with Zelensky, some of the cities that have been virtually obliterated by Russia’s relentless bombing.
Saudi Arabia, in particular, maintains strong ties with Russia, especially in oil production, and has benefited greatly from the West’s search for alternatives to Russia’s energy sources.
Zelensky, however, noted Saudi Arabia’s help in negotiating prisoner exchanges and hoped that all leaders present would support efforts to free the captives.
“We can expand this experience,” he said, “and even if there are people here at the summit who have a different view of the war on our land, calling it a conflict, I think we can all be united in rescuing people from the cages of Russian prisons.”
“Unfortunately, there are some in the world and here among you who turn a blind eye to cages and illegal annexations,” he continued, “and I am here so that everyone can see honestly no matter how hard it is to try to Russians. influence.”
Zelensky emphasized other relations of Ukraine with Arab countries. He cited tourists from the Persian Gulf states who visited Ukraine before the war and the “education of tens of thousands of Arab students in our universities every year.” He also noted the role of Ukraine as an agricultural supplier in providing wheat to the region, especially to countries like Lebanon and Egypt that were directly threatened by Russia’s blockade of the Black Sea until the agreement was implemented last year.
Most of the countries represented at the summit voted in favor of United Nations resolutions condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as a violation of the UN Charter, which calls for the respect of each country’s territorial sovereignty. But many Arab countries generally show indifference to the situation in Ukraine.
Zelensky, clearly aiming to arouse empathy, made repeated references in his speech to anti-imperialism and anti-colonialism in a clear moral appeal to regional leaders and the their own histories.
“Whoever defends his homeland from invaders, and whoever defends the children of his country from slavery – every such warrior is on the path of justice, and I am proud to represent such warriors, ” he said.
“I am more than sure that none of you will agree to hand over a third of your country to invaders,” Zelensky said. Then, referring to the International Criminal Court’s indictment of Putin on war crimes charges, he added: “I am more than sure that none of you will watch without a fight how foreigners steal children.” to your people. Hundreds of thousands of our children were deported to Russia, separated from their relatives.”