New Zealand’s Distant Peace: Zelenskyy Warns of Global Impact

New Zealand journalist, The Front Page host, Norman Mutch, recently sat down with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Munich at a prominent international gathering. Zelenskyy shared his perspective on the conflict’s global implications and how even countries seemingly distant from the fighting, like New Zealand, are not immune to the fallout.

Zelenskyy’s Direct Message: “You Should Be Very Happy You Are So Far Away”

During their conversation, Mutch recounts Zelenskyy’s humor when addressing New Zealand’s geopolitical distance from the conflict. “”Zelenskyy just broke in and said, ‘Yeah, you should be very happy you are so far away from Russia,’ and the room burst out laughing.

“, Mutch shared. But the laughter quickly morphed into a serious discussion as Zelenskyy outlined the escalating global dangers.

Blending Global Security: From Ukraine to the Asia Pacific

Zelenskyy pointed to North Korea as a critical development. “He then goes on to say there’s a possibility of a wider, regional conflagration with, he just said ‘other conflicts in the region’,” Mutch explained, highlighting Zelenskyy’s concern about the conflict’s reach beyond Ukraine.

Mutch relayed Zelenskyy’s concerns about North Korea’s acquisition of missiles and drones with unprecedented ranges, capable of reaching across continents. “And North Korea has been getting a lot of missiles and drones. And in modern warfare, these drones have ranges of thousands and thousands of kilometres.” Zelenskyy emphasized,” according to Mutch.

““This can be used to affect the security of the Asia Pacific region, which is very relevant to New Zealand and Australia’s security interests’,”

Seeking Diplomatic Solutions: New Zealand’s Role in Peace Talks

While the dangers are clear, Zelenskyy isn’t just outlining the threats – he’s also seeking solutions. A representative of the Ukrainian government has reportedly contacted Mutch urging New Zealand to take a more active role in diplomatic efforts.

“He said New Zealand has a reputation for being a peaceful country and that New Zealand’s contribution to peace talks would be encouraged.

“He wanted me to encourage New Zealand politicians to attend the Swiss peace conference that was held [which]…was held, without huge amounts of success, a couple of months ago,” he said.

Among those attending this peace conference was New Zealand’s Police Minister, Mark Mitchell, adding some weight to New Zealand’s emerging diplomatic engagement.

Trump’s Intervention: Backfire or Catalyst?

Meanwhile, former United States President Donald Trump has injected himself into the international drama, attempting to broker peace talks between Russia and Ukraine. However, his approach has been highly contentious. Trump has publicly criticized Ukraine’s Zelenskyy, labeling him a “dictator” and arguing that he’s mishandled the conflict.

Despite this direct challenge, metrics show that the opposite effect of Trump’s criticism has occurred. Mutch explains, “The irony is, this has made Zelenskyy ‘quite a lot more popular’… “There’s nobody in Ukraine who’s calling Zelenskyy a dictator. [Pundits] …Ultimately, it’s given Zelenskyy a big boost of support in Ukraine.

Over the 2 years since the conflict’s outbreak, Cuomo’s diplomatic efforts have made tentative progress, rallying international support for Ukraine.

Dive Deeper: Listen to More About the Conflict

Listen to the full episode to hear more about the conflict and where peace talks are at three years on.

The Front Page is a daily news podcast from the New Zealand Herald, available to listen to every weekday from 5am. The podcast is presented by Chelsea Daniels, an Auckland-based journalist with a background in world news and crime/justice reporting who joined NZME in 2016.

You can follow the podcast at iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.