Zelenskyy appeals for help with Ukraine's energy network as recovery conference opens

Zelenskyy appeals for help with Ukraine’s energy network as recovery conference opens

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited a military base in northern Germany on Tuesday where Ukrainian troops were being trained to use Patriot missile systems.

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Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stands in front of a Patriot air defense missile system during a visit to a military training area in the German state of Western Pomerania, Tuesday, June 11, 20242, to learn about the training of Ukrainian soldiers on the “Patriot” air defence missile system. (Jens Buettner/dpa via AP)

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Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, left, and German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius, second left, greet German and Ukrainian soldiers during their visit to a military training area in the German state of Western Pomerania, Tuesday, June 11, 20242, to learn about the training of Ukrainian soldiers on the “Patriot” air defence missile system. (Jens Buettner/dpa via AP)

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks during the opening ceremony of the recovery conference in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday, June 11, 2024. Germany is hosting a conference to gather support for Ukraine’s recovery from the destruction wreaked by Russia’s war, sending a new signal of solidarity with Kyiv at the start of a week of intense diplomacy. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

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Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, left, and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz interact, at the start of a conference on the recovery of Ukraine, in Berlin, Tuesday, June 11, 2024. Germany is hosting a conference on Tuesday to gather support for Ukraine’s recovery from the destruction wreaked by Russia’s war, sending a new signal of solidarity with Kyiv at the start of a week of intense diplomacy. (Kay Nietfeld/dpa via AP)

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Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, foreground centre and his wife Olena Zelenska, left, pose for a photo with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and other politicians, at the start of a conference on the recovery of Ukraine, in Berlin, Tuesday, June 11, 2024. Germany is hosting a conference on Tuesday to gather support for Ukraine’s recovery from the destruction wreaked by Russia’s war, sending a new signal of solidarity with Kyiv at the start of a week of intense diplomacy. (Kay Nietfeld/dpa via AP)

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Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, left, shakes hands German Chancellor Olaf Scholz as they prepare to pose for photographers, at the start of a conference on the recovery of Ukraine, in Berlin, Tuesday, June 11, 2024. Germany is hosting a conference on Tuesday to gather support for Ukraine’s recovery from the destruction wreaked by Russia’s war, sending a new signal of solidarity with Kyiv at the start of a week of intense diplomacy. (Britta Pedersen/dpa via AP)

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, left, and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz shake hands after a press conference at the recovery conference in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday, June 11, 2024. Germany is hosting a conference to gather support for Ukraine’s recovery from the destruction wreaked by Russia’s war, sending a new signal of solidarity with Kyiv at the start of a week of intense diplomacy. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

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Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy waves after his speech at the German parliament Bundestag at the Reichstag Building in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday, June 11, 2024. Germany is hosting a conference to gather support for Ukraine’s recovery from the destruction wreaked by Russia’s war, sending a new signal of solidarity with Kyiv at the start of a week of intense diplomacy. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

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Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, center left, stands between German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, left, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, center left, and Parliament President Baerbel Bas, right, and waves to the lawmakers after his speech at the German parliament Bundestag at the Reichstag Building in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday, June 11, 2024. Germany is hosting a conference to gather support for Ukraine’s recovery from the destruction wreaked by Russia’s war, sending a new signal of solidarity with Kyiv at the start of a week of intense diplomacy.

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European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen speaks during the opening ceremony of the Ukraine recovery conference in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday, June 11, 2024. Germany is hosting a conference to gather support for Ukraine’s recovery from the destruction wreaked by Russia’s war, sending a new signal of solidarity with Kyiv at the start of a week of intense diplomacy. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

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British Foreign Secretary David Cameron speaks during a panel discussion during the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday, June 11, 2024. Germany is hosting a conference to gather support for Ukraine’s recovery from the destruction wreaked by Russia’s war, sending a new signal of solidarity with Kyiv at the start of a week of intense diplomacy. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, left, and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz talk at the start of the Ukraine recovery conference in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday, June 11, 2024. Germany is hosting a conference to gather support for Ukraine’s recovery from the destruction wreaked by Russia’s war, sending a new signal of solidarity with Kyiv at the start of a week of intense diplomacy. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

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Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, front left, and German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius, rear left, greet German and Ukrainian soldiers during their visit to a military training area in the German state of Western Pomerania, Tuesday, June 11, 20242, to learn about the training of Ukrainian soldiers on the “Patriot” air defence missile system. (Jens Buettner/dpa via AP)

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Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, left, greets German and Ukrainian soldiers during a visit to a military training area in the German state of Western Pomerania, Tuesday, June 11, 20242, to learn about the training of Ukrainian soldiers on the “Patriot” air defence missile system. (Jens Buettner/dpa via AP)

By GEIR MOULSON and HANNA ARHIROVA

BERLIN (AP) — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday appealed for short-term help in repairing his country’s electricity network and long-term investment in its energy system at a conference to gather support for Ukraine’s recovery from the destruction wreaked by Russia’s war.

Starting a week of intense diplomacy that will also see him travel to the Group of Seven summit of Ukraine’s leading Western allies in Italy and a global peace summit in Switzerland, Zelenskyy also renewed his calls for more help in repelling missile attacks by Russian forces. Hours later, Zelenskyy thanked Germany for its support in a speech to lawmakers in Berlin.

The two-day Ukraine Recovery Conference in Berlin follows up on a similar gathering in London a year ago.

The German hosts say it is bringing together 2,000 people from national and local politics, business and other areas, arguing that the task of supporting Ukraine’s recovery is too big for governments alone.

Among other immediate problems, sustained Russian attacks on Ukraine’s power grid in recent weeks have forced energy companies to institute nationwide rolling blackouts.

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Zelenskyy told the conference that, in the coming month, Ukraine needs equipment for heating and electricity plants that are currently out of action. “This will allow us to respond to the situation here and now,” he said.

According to the president, nine gigawatts of electricity generating capacity have been destroyed — including 80% of thermal power and one-third of hydroelectric power — while the peak consumption in Ukraine last winter was 18 gigawatts. Energy, he said, continues to be “one of (Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s main targets.”

Looking beyond Ukraine’s immediate problems, Zelenskyy said foreign investments in energy would be mutually beneficial.

“Ukraine has all the natural foundations for modern energy, but without your financing and investments, we won’t be able to realize this,” he said.

“This is not about grants, but about high-yield investments for your companies, about a large market for your equipment, about loan programs for your institutions,” all of which could create tens of thousands of new jobs, he added.

That message was echoed by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who said the World Bank has estimated that rebuilding and modernizing Ukraine will require investments of nearly $500 billion over the next 10 years.

“The reconstruction of Ukraine is and also must be a business case,” Scholz told participants. He said that is illustrated by Ukraine having exported excess electricity to the European Union since 2022 — “that makes clear what goes for the reconstruction of Ukraine as a whole: it benefits all concerned.”

Scholz, whose country has become Ukraine’s second-biggest weapons supplier after the United States, appealed anew to other allies to help strengthen Ukraine’s air defense, “because the best reconstruction is that which doesn’t have to take place.”

Since Russia launched a spring offensive around Kharkiv, Zelenskyy has insisted Ukraine urgently needs seven more U.S.-made Patriot air defense systems.

Germany and other NATO allies recently said they would allow Ukraine to use weapons they deliver to Kyiv to carry out limited attacks inside Russia. During a news conference with Scholz on Tuesday, Zelenskyy said that “it’s time” to lift remaining restrictions on weapons systems supplied to Ukraine and their use.

The Berlin conference also focuses on support for reforms that Ukraine has embarked on in its bid to join the EU.

On Monday, the head of the State Agency for Restoration of Ukraine, Mustafa Nayyem, announced his resignation on Facebook. He cited “systemic obstacles that prevent me from exercising my powers effectively” and accused the government of bogging his agency down in red tape.

Ukraine hasn’t had a minister dedicated to reconstruction since Oleksandr Kubrakov was dismissed in May. Nayyem complained that Ukraine’s prime minister barred him from attending the Berlin conference.

Zelenskyy, making his third visit to Berlin since Russia’s full-scale invasion started in February 2022, stressed the “common interest” of Ukraine and Germany in Putin losing the war as he addressed the German parliament.

Looking ahead to the peace summit in Switzerland, Zelenskyy said that “we want to give diplomacy a chance and have gathered around 100 countries for this.”

“Ukraine has never relied solely on the power of weapons,” he added.

All but a handful of lawmakers from the far-right Alternative for Germany, as well as members of the new BSW party — both of which oppose weapons deliveries to Ukraine — stayed away from Zelenskyy’s speech.

Alternative for Germany co-leaders Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla said in a statement that “Ukraine doesn’t need a war president now; it needs a peace president who is ready to negotiate so that the dying stops and the country has a future.”

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Arhirova reported from Kyiv, Ukraine.

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Follow the AP’s coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine