Kyiv is waiting for European ammunition. Ukraine received only 30% of the millions of artillery shells promised by the European Union last year, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Monday, February 26. “Of the one million shells that the European Union promised us, not 50%, but unfortunately 30% were delivered,” the head of state said during a press conference in Kiev (Ukraine) with Bulgarian Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov.
His announcement comes at a conference to support Ukraine in Paris, attended by around twenty heads of state and government. The EU committed in 2023 to sending one million artillery shells to Ukraine by the end of March 2024, but admitted it had failed to meet that target. At the end of January, the head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, said that around 52% of the promised shells would be delivered by March. In total, he said, the Europeans could supply Kiev with 1.15 million shells this year. Follow our live stream.
Summit meeting in Paris. Around twenty heads of state and government, mainly European ones, will meet on Monday at the initiative of Emmanuel Macron to reaffirm their support for Ukraine. “We are certainly in the time of a necessary beginning for all of us,” emphasized the head of state at the beginning of this summit. Ukraine's victory or defeat “depends on you,” Volodymyr Zelensky told his allies on Sunday who spoke via video conference at the meeting organized at the Elysee Palace.
“We are neither resigned nor defeatist.” The aim of this meeting is to “remobilize and examine all means of effective support for Ukraine,” explains the Elysée. “It's about countering the impression that things are falling apart and reaffirming that we are not tired and are determined to stop Russian aggression. We want to send a clear message to Putin that he will not win in Ukraine,” emphasizes the French presidency. “We are neither resigned nor defeatist,” emphasizes the Elysée. There will be no victory for Russia in Ukraine.”
Long-awaited European help. At a time when American support crucial to Kiev is still blocked in Congress and the possibility of Donald Trump's return to the White House is causing the EU to break out in cold sweats, Emmanuel Macron is calling on Europe to launch a “collective attack” against Russia. The increase in cyber and information attacks by an “increasingly aggressive” Russia will also be discussed at the meeting, according to the Elysée, which sharply criticizes Russian “intimidation maneuvers”.
Raphaël Glucksmann calls for “action”. The MEP, leader of the Place Publique and the Socialist Party's list for the European elections, called on Franceinfo on Monday for “measures” to support Ukraine. Ukrainians “need weapons, ammunition, aviation, artillery,” and sanctions against Russia must be “serious,” he believes.