Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky met with Albanian Government officials on 28 February 2024 in an attempt to secure more support from Western Balkan countries. In search of international support, Zelensky visited Saudi Arabia on 27 February 2024 and held talks in Riyadh to promote a 10-point peace plan and the return of Russian prisoners of war.[1]
Zelensky’s international tour reflects his search for foreign support for Ukraine’s security and peace. His contacts with different countries, notably Saudi Arabia, show that he is conducting an active diplomacy to promote Ukraine’s interests at the global level and gain support.
In a statement on the social media platform X, Zelensky referred to Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama as “a steadfast friend of Ukraine” and stated that the two sides would talk about “defence and political cooperation, support for the Peace Plan and security agreements”. “I propose to support Ukraine’s efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace and to organise the Global Peace Summit in Switzerland,” Zelensky said.[2]
In response, Edi Rama wrote in a message on Facebook that he was pleased to “proudly welcome Zelensky to increase solidarity and advance the commitment of our democracies against Russian aggression”. Seeking more international support to overcome Ukraine’s difficulties on the war front, Zelensky confirmed for the first time the number of his country’s soldiers lost in the war, stating that 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers had lost their lives.[3]
Steps such as military support to Ukraine by Albania, a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), and the granting of asylum to refugees underline the importance of solidarity within the West. Ukraine has called on Western leaders to increase the joint production of arms and ammunition, improve the country’s air defence and put new pressure on Russia through expanded sanctions. At this point, however, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz stated that there was a consensus that Western troops operating in Ukraine would not actively participate in the war. French Defence Minister Sébastien Lecornu stated that there were discussions about mine clearance and military training operations, but that these were far from the front lines of Ukraine. “This does not mean sending troops to wage war against Russia,” Lecornu said.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said: “NATO allies are providing extraordinary support to Ukraine. We have been doing so since 2014 and have increased it since the start of the war, but we have no plans to send NATO combat troops to Ukraine.” Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that his country “has no plans to send troops to Ukraine”. Similarly, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala stated that his country “absolutely will not send troops to Ukraine”.[4]
A large number of countries from the Western Balkans and Central Europe, including Ukraine’s neighbours, participated in the Ukraine-South-East Europe Summit. Officials from the European Union (EU) and other international organisations took part in the summit, with the most important agenda item being the future of aid to Ukraine. It should be recalled that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also visited Albania in early February.
It can be said that Serbia’s attitude towards Russia also draws attention as an indicator of Russia’s regional influence. Serbia’s rejection of EU sanctions and signing of cooperation agreements with Russia can be interpreted as part of Russia’s strategy to protect and expand its allies in the region. This is because not all countries fully support Kiev in Ukraine’s war against Russia. Kremlin ally Serbia is the only European country that refused to comply with EU sanctions following the Russian invasion. Belgrade continues to sign cooperation agreements with Moscow.
Albania, a NATO member since 2009 and a candidate for EU membership, has expressed its full support for Ukraine against the Russian invasion. It provides military assistance to Ukraine in the form of ammunition and military training. Albania was also one of the first countries to provide asylum to Ukrainian refugees and has participated in international sanctions against Russian officials and organisations. In addition, Albania has been a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for the last two years, drafting resolutions against Russia together with the United States.
In conclusion, Ukraine’s demands for defence and security from Western leaders may lead Russia to expand this war on a broader front. NATO’s decision not to send troops to Ukraine and the insistence of some European countries on this issue could further increase military tensions in the region and intra-European divisions.
[1] “Germany and Poland Say They’re not Sending Troops to Ukraine As the Kremlin Warns of a Wider War”, Associated Press News, https://apnews.com/article/nato-stoltenberg-ukraine-troops-france-slovakia-5d4ed747861a3c0edb8f922fa36427c2, (Date of Access: 28.02.2024).
[2] “Zelenskyy Will co-host Summit in Albania Seeking More War Support from Southeastern Europe”, Associated Press News, https://apnews.com/article/albania-ukraine-russia-invasion-europe-summit-0c275b84f729922ae8ac9f4f6446cfc1, (Date of Access: 28.02.2024).
[3] “Zelenskyy Will co-host Summit in Albania Seeking More War Support from Southeastern Europe”, ABC News, https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/zelenskyy-host-summit-albania-seeking-war-support-southeastern-107617315, (Date of Access: 28.02.2024).
[4] “Zelenskyy Will co-host Summit in Albania Seeking More War Support from Southeastern Europe”, Associated Press News, https://apnews.com/article/albania-ukraine-russia-invasion-europe-summit-0c275b84f729922ae8ac9f4f6446cfc1, (Date of Access: 28.02.2024).
