Zelensky meets German opposition leader, Israeli president at Davos forum
President Volodymyr Zelensky separately met with German opposition leader Friedrich Merz and Israeli President Isaac Herzog on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos on Jan. 22.
Talks between Zelensky and Merz focused on "necessary efforts and coordinated actions with allies to achieve a just and lasting peace," the Presidential Office said.
Merz is the chancellor candidate of the conservative CDU/CSU alliance for the parliamentary elections in February. The German politician, who met Zelensky in Kyiv last December, has urged Berlin to provide more decisive support to Ukraine and supported the provision of long-range Taurus missiles.
Speaking to Merz in Davos, Zelensky "underscored the critical importance of Germany approving an additional 3 billion euros ($3.1 billion) defense support package for Ukraine."
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has blocked the approval of additional funds for Ukraine unless they are paid through additional borrowing, drawing criticism from his coalition partners.
Merz's party, whose support is crucial for passing the funding since Scholz's coalition lost the majority in the parliament, backed the additional funding for Ukraine but insisted the federal budget can cover it without abandoning the debt break.
During his meeting with the Israeli president, Zelensky highlighted "shared challenges facing their nations and agreed on areas for future cooperation, particularly in the field of security."
Ukraine has sought to secure Israel's backing in the war with Moscow, arguing that the Russian-Iranian alliance presents a shared enemy to both Kyiv and Tel Aviv. The outreach has been largely unsuccessful, with Israel staying out of the Russia-Ukraine war while fighting its own conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon.
The Ukrainian president also said that Ukraine understands "the pain of having loved ones held in captivity and share the joy when people return home from captivity."
The Palestinian militant group Hamas recently released three Israeli hostages in the first phase of a ceasefire deal between the group and Tel Aviv.
Tim Zadorozhnyy
