Highlights: Volodymyr Zelensky has been in Albania since last night where he is due to participate this Wednesday in a summit with the leaders of South-Eastern European countries. The Ukrainian president continues to travel the world to try to rally support for his country while Ukraine is suffering on the front, due to lack of ammunition among other things. The opportunity in particular to meet once again the Serbian president, the only European country, but which is not a member of the European Union, which has decided not to align itself with Western sanctions against Russia. According to the Albanian Prime Minister, Edi Rama, the support of these South- eastern European countries is essential for Ukraine.

The Ukrainian president continues to travel the world to try to rally support for his country while Ukraine is suffering on the front, due to lack of ammunition among other things. After a visit to Arabia…

Balkans: Volodymyr continues his quest for support in Tirana during a regional summit

The Ukrainian president continues to travel the world to try to rally support for his country while Ukraine is suffering on the front, due to lack of ammunition among other things.

After a visit to Saudi Arabia, Volodymyr Zelensky has been in Albania since last night where he is due to participate this Wednesday in a summit with the leaders of South-Eastern European countries.

The opportunity in particular to meet once again the Serbian president, the only European country, but which is not a member of the European Union, which has decided not to align itself with Western sanctions against Russia .

Tirana (Albania), February 28, 2024: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky came to seek support from his Western Balkan counterparts meeting at a summit.

From left to right: Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, Volodymyr Zelensky, President of Montenegro, Jakov Milatovic and President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic.

REUTERS - Florion Goga

By: RFI Follow

If Albania, the host country of this meeting, has always shown unwavering support for Ukraine, this is far from being the case for Serbia, often presented as an ally of Moscow in Europe.

Its president, Aleksandar Vucic, continues to play a balancing role between a cordial understanding with the Kremlin and proximity with the European Union to which his country remains a candidate for membership.

Serbia has passed United Nations resolutions explicitly condemning the Russian invasion

of Ukraine while refusing to align with European sanctions against Moscow.

According to an investigation by our colleagues at

Courrier des Balkans

, Serbian companies are enriching themselves by selling Western products to Russia,

which violates sanctions against Moscow

A candidate for European integration - the Union is, by far, its main economic partner - but not a member of NATO, Serbia remains very dependent on Russian gas.

This Western Balkans summit on the Ukrainian issue is therefore crucial for changing positions.

According to the Albanian Prime Minister, Edi Rama, the support of these South-Eastern European countries is essential for Ukraine, as he clarified in an interview with the

Euractiv information site

Also listen to the Ukrainian War: European awakening in the face of the possible abandonment of the Americans

The Ukrainian president has already met his Serbian counterpart several times, without succeeding in making him change his position.

But in the presence of the Croatian Prime Minister, the Kosovar president and of course the Albanian leaders, Volodymyr Zelensky hopes to rally Serbia to his cause.

Because on the front the situation is deteriorating for the Ukrainian army, due to lack of ammunition.

The new commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian armies, Oleksandr Syrsky, announced in mid-February, after visiting the hottest areas of the Eastern Front with Defense Minister Roustem Umerov, that

the situation on the ground was “extremely complex and tense”.

Half of the Western weapons promised to Kiev

are being delivered late

, Defense Minister Roustem Oumerov declared on Saturday during a forum dedicated to the second anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The Ukrainian president will therefore also take advantage of this first trip to Albania since the start of the conflict to recall how urgent it is that his country be supported both materially and financially to avoid a possible victory for Russia.

Also read: Emmanuel Macron's comments on sending troops to Ukraine: French details and European reactions

Balkans: Volodymyr continues his quest for support in Tirana during a regional summit

Balkans: Volodymyr continues his quest for support in Tirana during a regional summit

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