Due to the impact of the Russian-Ukrainian war, the current Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his wife are actively seeking support and assistance from various countries, including the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, and even countries such as the Vatican. Despite Ukraine's own limited international influence, these countries offer support mainly because they see the influence of the superpower behind Ukraine.
In addition to the president's personal active search for support, the first lady of Ukraine, Yelena Zelenskaya, also played an active role in this process. Recently, she visited South Korea as a special presidential envoy and received a high-profile reception. She discussed with South Korean President Yoon Seok-yue the current war situation and the practical problems facing Ukraine.
During the meeting, Yelena made it clear that Ukraine is grateful for South Korea's support and humanitarian assistance, but she also pointed out that the current assistance is far from enough. She hopes that South Korea will continue to expand its assistance to Ukraine in the areas within its capabilities. She raised specific equipment needs, including mine detection and clearance equipment, non-lethal military equipment such as ambulances, and asked South Korean companies to participate in the reconstruction of Ukraine.
South Korea has not yet made its position clear on these demands made by Yelena. However, the First Lady of Ukraine reiterated her call on South Korea to protect Ukrainian territory through technical means and help Ukraine restore normal rules and order. What we need, she insisted, is victory, not an abstract truce.
Yelena Zelenskaya herself is a social media guru with more than two million followers. Her focus is mainly on war and women's issues. Her appeal has therefore attracted widespread attention.
It is clear from this incident that Yelena Zelenskaya's visit had a clear purpose and that she did not come empty-handed. And Ukraine is seeking Asian support in part because aid resources in some European countries are drying up. As the Russian-Ukrainian war continues and the future is uncertain, NATO countries are under pressure to assist Ukraine, believing that it is a bottomless pit. As a result, Ukraine has turned its attention to Asia, and South Korea has become a highly anticipated donor because of its past aid experience.
Although South Korea has not yet specified what kind of assistance it will provide, or how much and when it will be provided, it has the ability to provide the needed help with the support of the United States. However, South Korea needs to weigh carefully, because excessive aid could trigger direct Russian intervention on the Korean Peninsula, thereby endangering South Korea's national security.