Scholz, Macron and Draghi meet with Ukrainian President Zelenský

BFederal Chancellors are on their way to Kiev Olaf Scholz and three other European heads of state and government met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenysky. Scholz, French president Emmanuel MacronItalian Prime Minister Mario Draghi and the Romanian President Klaus Iohannis Zelensky received at the Presidential Palace on Thursday afternoon. He, as usual, in a khaki T-shirt, the others in suits and ties.

After taking photos together, top politicians sat at a round table. A press conference is scheduled for the afternoon.

Before the meeting, European guests had a suburb of Kiev Irpin he visited and saw the devastation caused by the Russian attacks. As in neighboring Bucha, almost 300 civilians, some of whom were executed, were found there after the Russian retreat at the end of March.

Four top politicians led by the Ukrainian President’s special envoy for the prospects of EU accession Oleksiy Chernyshev in Irpin on the ruins of houses passing, which were damaged by Russian shelling. During his visit, Scholz condemned the “brutality” of the Russian war of aggression. He talked about senseless violence. Innocent civilians were hit and houses destroyed. The whole city was destroyed, in which there were no military buildings at all. “That says a lot about the brutality of Russia’s offensive war, which is simply aimed at destruction and conquest.” The destruction in Irpin is a “very important reminder” that something needs to be done.

Macron spoke similarly. He spoke of signs of war crimes after the “massacres” of Russian forces and condemned the “barbarism” of the attacks that devastated the city.

Before the war, almost 60,000 people lived in Irpin. Russian troops were unable to completely conquer the village, but approached the capital’s borders for several kilometers.

Scholz is still away from Ukraine while driving full support in their fight against the Russian attack secured. “It is important that the Prime Ministers of the three great countries that co-founded the European Economic Community leave for Kiev and show their support for Ukraine and the people of Ukraine in this very special war situation.” He added: “But we do not just want to demonstrate solidarity, we also want to ensure that the aid we organize, financial, humanitarian, but also arms, continues.”

Support will continue for as long as is necessary for Ukraine’s struggle for independence. At the same time it will be clarified again that saved sanctions against Russia are of great importance. “Because they contribute to the possibility that Russia will give up its plan and withdraw its troops again.” Because that’s the goal, “Scholz emphasized.

Air warning shortly after arrival

The air alarm, which was triggered shortly after Scholz, Macron and Draghi arrived in Kiev, was canceled after about half an hour. A German news agency reporter confirmed this on the spot. In the meantime, there has also been an air alarm in many other parts of the country.

response to visits

mayor of Kiev Vitaly Klitschko he was pleased with the arrival of Scholz. “As mayor, I am happy and proud that the German Chancellor is visiting our city with the French President and the Italian Prime Minister,” he told Bild.

Also the former Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Tymoshenko welcomed the trip of Scholz and his colleagues to Kiev. In an interview with Italian television RaiNews24, the politician was convinced that the visit of the three European heads of state and government would contribute to even greater support for the country invaded by Russia. “I believe that the three leaders from Italy, Germany and France will be even more convinced on their way or during their journey that they will stay in Ukraine,” she said.

former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev criticized the joint trip to Kiev as useless. “European fans of frogs, liver and spaghetti like to visit Kyiv,” Medvedev wrote on his Twitter account. “With zero benefit.”

Politicians would have to travel by train as they did 100 years ago. They have held the prospect of EU membership and “old howitzers” for Ukraine, said Medvedev, who is now vice chairman of Russia’s Security Council. “It’s all good. But it won’t bring Ukraine closer. The clock is ticking.”

Macron said the day before during his visit to NATO base in Romania: send political signals to Ukraine as an EU (…) ahead of the EU summit, which has important decisions ahead of it. “

EU heads of state and government are expected to discuss Ukraine’s application for membership at next week’s summit. A recommendation from the European Commission on whether to grant Ukraine candidate status is expected this week.

Russia invaded neighboring Ukraine on February 24. Ukraine has so far resisted militarily, but is dependent on foreign armaments. Zelensky and his leadership asked their partners primarily for heavy weapons.

Zelenskyj will also protect the interests of his war-torn country with represented at the G7 and NATO summits at the end of June. He gratefully accepted the invitation to the summit, Zelensky said on Twitter on Wednesday evening. Initially, it was not clear whether the Ukrainian head of state would leave his country or whether the video would be used as in other meetings. Overall, Zelensky saw great progress in his country’s international support, as he said in an evening in his video address.

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On the other hand, the military situation – especially in eastern Ukraine – remained extremely tense. “The tough fight for the Luhansk region continues,” said Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Valery Zalushny. Russian troops attacked there from nine directions simultaneously, he wrote on Facebook. The European Commission wants to make a recommendation in Brussels on Thursday whether Ukraine will obtain the expected candidate status.

Many international contacts of Ukraine

In his evening video, Zelenysky listed all of Wednesday’s international contacts: phone calls with US President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, meetings with Albania and Montenegro’s heads of government Edim Rama and Dritan Abazovic. Zelensky said that Wednesday’s meeting of the US-led contact group for Ukraine in Brussels sent a signal that arms supplies would be stabilized.

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