Residents of the eastern Ukrainian city of Dnipro gathered on January 14 to mark the first anniversary of a Russian missile strike on a residential building that killed 46 civilians, as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy prepared to travel to the Swiss city of Davos to discuss his proposed “peace formula” and attend the World Economic Forum.
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In Dnipro, locals brought flowers, toys, and other items to the ruins of the building that was destroyed in the January 14, 2023, missile strike. Six of the killed were children, while dozens were injured in the strike, which occurred on a weekend when many residents were in the building.
Although Moscow denies targeting civilians since it launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Russian missiles, drones, and rockets regularly strike residential buildings and civilian infrastructure across the country.
Meanwhile, Zelenskiy’s office said the president will travel to Davos on January 15 to meet with security officials representing 81 countries and international organizations who are in the resort town to discuss his 10-point “peace formula.”
“In the course of the visit, the president will meet with the presidents of both houses of parliament, party leaders, and the president of Switzerland, take part in the World Economic Forum and hold a series of bilateral meetings,” his office said.
Andriy Yermak, the head of Zelenskiy’s office, had arrived in Davos and addressed the gathering, held one day ahead of the opening there of the World Economic Forum. It was the fourth international meeting to discuss the Ukrainian “peace formula.”
Meanwhile, Andriy Yermak, the head of Zelenskiy’s office, addressed a gathering of security officials representing 81 countries and international organizations in Davos, one day ahead of the opening there of the World Economic Forum. It was the fourth international meeting to discuss the Ukrainian “peace formula.”
Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis, who co-chaired the talks with Yermak, told a news conference that Russia should eventually be brought in to such talks, but he added that the time was not right for that yet.
"We will need to find a path to include Russia in the process. There will be no peace without Russia having its word to say," Cassis said. "But this does not mean -- quite the contrary -- that we should just be depressed and sit there and wait for Russia to do something. Every minute that we wait, dozens of civilians in Ukraine are killed or wounded. We have no right to wait forever.”
Participants said the Davos sessions are focused on criteria needed to end the fighting, bring about withdrawal of Russian troops, achieve justice for crimes committed during the war, and to prevent a restarting of the conflict in the future, according to AFP.
In a post on Telegram, Yermak said he briefed delegates “about the consequences of recent massive rocket attacks by Russia on Ukrainian cities.”
“A simple cease-fire will not be the end of Russian aggression in Ukraine,” Yermak wrote, “but will only give the aggressor a pause to accumulate strength. This is definitely not the way to peace. The Russians do not want peace. They want dominance.”
Yermak echoed remarks earlier by Cassis stating that it was important that China – an ally of Russia – participated in any future peace formula talks.
Chinese Premier Li Qiang is scheduled to lead his country’s delegation to Davos later this week.
Asked if Zelenskiy would meet Li, Yermak told reporters, "Let's see."
Zelenskiy last year presented his 10-point peace formula that includes the withdrawal of Russian forces and the restoration of Ukrainian territorial integrity, among other things.
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Ukrainians Remember Those Killed In Devastating Russian Strike On Dnipro
Also on the diplomatic front, France's new foreign minister, Stephane Sejourne, stopped in Berlin on January 14 following his visit to Kyiv, meeting his German counterpart and reiterating both nations’ commitment to aid Ukraine for as long as required.
"We are in full agreement...that we must support the Ukrainians for as long as necessary," Sejourne told a news conference alongside German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock.
Baerbock said Germany and France would remain "on the side of Ukraine as long as necessary, until Russia has withdrawn from Ukrainian territory."
She warned, however, that Russian President Vladimir Putin "does not want to stop" and "is not stopping" his war with Ukraine.
The meeting of the two European Union powerhouse nations comes as the bloc is scheduled to hold a gathering on February 1 in an effort to unblock the 50 billion euro ($54.8 billion) Ukraine aid package that has been vetoed by the right-wing leader of Hungary, Viktor Orban.
The Kherson region military administration on January 14 reported 103 artillery strikes overnight, in addition to hundreds of mortar shells and drone attacks. Twenty-eight shells reportedly fell in the city of Kherson. Six civilians were reportedly injured in the strikes.
In its daily briefing on January 14, the Ukrainian General Staff reported 61 combat incidents in the previous 24 hours, with particularly heavy fighting around the Donetsk regional city of Avdiyivka. In recent weeks, Russian forces have been fighting to surround the city and dislodge Ukrainian defenders.