Diplomatic sources have told NHK that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will take part in an Asian security forum, the Shangri-La Dialogue that opened in Singapore on Friday.
Zelenskyy is expected to directly ask for assistance from defense chiefs from Asia, Europe and the United States who are attending the three-day forum. They include US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Japanese Defense Minister Kihara Minoru.
Zelenskyy’s joining the forum comes as Russia in recent weeks has intensified its offensive in the eastern Ukrainian region of Kharkiv and other areas.
In 2022, Zelenskyy delivered a speech online at the Shangri-La Dialogue, calling for support from the international community.
This year’s forum will be his first time to take part in the meeting in person.