No shortage of propaganda pieces for Western governments to supply more weapons and ammunition for another 'endless war' going on for months and years
Macron, Scholz and Draghi arrive in Kyiv for historic visit
The EU leaders were greeted with air raid sirens in Ukrainian capital.
French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi arrived in Kyiv Thursday morning, visiting the Ukrainian capital for the first time since the beginning of Russia’s invasion in a historic joint trip.
The three leaders took a night train to Kyiv, where they were greeted with air raid sirens amid Russia’s ongoing invasion. They crossed into Ukraine from the Polish border, La Repubblica reported early Thursday, although their precise travel plans were unknown, since Paris, Berlin and Rome did not give official details on the highly anticipated trip.
“We’re here, focused, and we’re about to meet President Zelenskyy now to visit a war site where massacres have been committed, and then to lead the conversations that are scheduled with President Zelenskyy,” Macron said in comments to reporters at the train station in Kyiv.
The visit is “a message of European unity toward Ukrainians, and of support, [a message] about the present and the future because we know the weeks to come are going to be very difficult,” the French president added.
The European leaders visited Irpin, the suburb northwest of Kyiv where Russian invaders destroyed buildings and allegedly tortured and killed civilians during weeks of occupation before Ukrainian forces pushed them out.
They discussed the reconstruction of the town with Oleksiy Chernyshov, the Ukrainian minister for territorial development. Stopping in front of a building covered in graffiti which read “Make Europe not war,” Macron said that “it’s very moving to see that.”
A French diplomatic official told reporters that once Russia’s war is over, “a dialogue” between Moscow and Kyiv “will be needed to find out how we build a sustainable peace,” with security guarantees for Ukraine, and the nature of the relationship between Ukraine and NATO.
The official added: “Zelenskyy must define what would be a military victory for him … We are in favor of a complete victory with the re-establishment of [Ukrainian] territorial integrity over all the territories that have been conquered by the Russians including Crimea.”
The joint visit from the leaders of the three largest EU economies carries important symbolic weight, especially ahead of a meeting of EU leaders next week, when they are set to decide whether to grant Ukraine candidate status to join the bloc. What Macron, Scholz and Draghi will say on the matter is still unclear. . . "
Duration: 13:58
Posted: 1 hour ago
(Bloomberg) -- German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi are meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Kyiv on Thursday, just as Russia provokes an energy crisis by curbing gas supplies to Europe.
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It’s the first trip to Ukraine for the three European leaders since Russia invaded the country at the end of February. Romanian President Klaus Iohannis is also taking part in the highest-profile delegation to visit Kyiv since war broke out.
The leaders arrive in the midst of an increasingly tense energy situation, after Russia’s state-backed gas company cut supplies to Europe through its largest link to less than half its usual volumes, a move German Economy Minister Robert Habeck called “politically motivated.” The Western allies will also discuss the possibility of advancing Ukraine’s effort to join the European Union.
“Of course the Russian state would not be itself if it simply watched our foreign policy success,” Zelenskiy said in an address Wednesday night. “Gas pressure on Europe is growing again.”
Russia’s moves to further reduce supplies to Europe provides a difficult backdrop for the European leaders as they look to show support for Kyiv while insecurity grows at home. Germany’s Habeck called on the country to rally together to thwart Putin.
Benchmark gas futures increased more than 12%, adding to the 44% rise in the previous two sessions. Habeck tried to ease concerns, emphasizing that Germany was well prepared and that storage facilities are filling up, but blamed Putin for squeezing the continent for political gain.
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