Mario dragonOlav scholz and Emmanuel macron I am in Kyiv for your first visit to Ukraine since the beginning of the Russian invasion on February 24th. The three European heads of state and government met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Presidential Palace. “A busy day, important meetings. It is a pleasure to meet President Macron, Chancellor Scholz, Prime Minister Draghi and President Iohanniss in Kyiv. We appreciate your solidarity with our country and people,” the Ukrainian President said on his Telegram channel, posting photos of the meeting with EU leaders.
In the meantime, Zelenskyy has accepted Germany’s invitation to participate in the next G7, announced Chancellor Scholz.
THE PRESS CONFERENCE
“The main message of our visit is that Italy wants Ukraine to join the EU, to be given candidate status and will support this position at the next European Council. Zelenskyy knows that this is a path, not just a step. “, Draghi said at the press conference in Kyiv with the Ukrainian President and other European leaders. “In Irpin I felt horror and hope, hope for reconstruction and for the future. That is why we are here today, to help Ukraine rebuild its future “We want peace, but Ukraine must defend itself and Ukraine must choose the peace it wants, which it considers acceptable for its people. Only in this way can it be a lasting peace,” added the Prime Minister “There are two weeks to clear the ports. The harvest will arrive at the end of September and a series of increasingly urgent deadlines that bring us inexorably closer to the drama. We must, with the utmost urgency, create safe corridors for the safe transport of grain and avoid a catastrophe”. “The only way is a UN resolution regulating shipping in the Black Sea, Russi has so far rejected it,” Draghi added. “We have seen the atrocities committed by Russia in this war in Irpin, which we have no hesitation in condemning. We fully support the investigation into war crimes committed by the Russians.
“We are here to bring unconditional support to the Ukrainian people. A people who built an army to repel Russia’s aggression and live in freedom. And Europe must have the same courage as Zelensky,” Draghi added. “The EU has shown and is demonstrating today exceptional unity in supporting Ukraine in every way. Governments, parliaments and citizens have done so. I would like to recall the great solidarity shown by Italians and all Europeans to welcome those who fled the bombings.”
“Dear friends, we appreciate you being with us today, on the eve of important international events for all of us and for Europe. And I am very grateful that the visit to Irpin has started to see what the Russian invaders have done. Our strength is unity”: so Zelensky in Kyiv press conference with EU leaders speaking on Ukraine’s need for “heavy and modern weapons”: “We need help. Every gun is a life saved. Any extension increases the possibility for Russians to kill Ukrainians and destroy our cities.” . “We need to come to a common position in support of our integration into the EU. Candidate status for Ukraine can strengthen freedom in Europe and become the most important decision of the third decade of the 21st century. We understand that the road to The EU is not a single step, but that road must begin. Ukrainians are ready to continue on this path to become a candidate state”.
“We as a collective are not at war with the Russian people, we continued to talk to the Russian leader, but we always informed Zelensky. The modalities of the peace will be decided only by Ukraine and its representatives. France and Germany will never “negotiate with Russia behind Ukraine,” said French President Emmanuel Macron in Kyiv. Talking to Moscow, “we put forward our needs as European forces (and France as a member of the UN Council) but never to negotiate for him”. “Ukraine is part of Europe. This war will change the history of Europe. We stand with Ukraine to accompany him in this perspective. We confirmed to Zelenskyy that tomorrow the Commission will decide on the framework and the next European Council will take some steps. Decisions – added Macron – all 4 of our countries will support candidate status of Ukraine. In the next few days we will build the unanimity of the 27″. Macron ended his speech by saying in Ukrainian: “Slava Ukraini”, glory of Ukraine.
“We came to convey a message of European unity to all Ukrainian citizens. A message of support because the next few weeks will be very difficult,” said the French President as he stepped off the train that took him from Poland to Kyiv, “a place of war where massacres have been committed”.
Air raid sirens sounded in the Ukrainian capital during the visit of the three leaders, who were then on a break in a hotel in the center. Since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, sirens have been heard in Kyiv almost every day. The alarm ended after about thirty minutes.
VISIT TO IRPIN
Macron, Draghi and Scholz also left in Irpin “where murders took place,” said the French president. Italy’s Prime Minister Mario Draghi stopped in front of bombed buildings in Irpin: “You have the world on your side“, he told local authorities. Draghi was received by the mayor of Irpin Oleh Bondar and by the head of the regional military administration in Kyiv Oleksiy Kuleba. Here the Russians” destroyed the kindergartens and kindergartens. Everything is rebuilt. You have already started. They are already at a very advanced stage of evaluation,” Draghi told reporters on the sidelines of the visit to Irpin. To those who asked him if there would be a Marshall Plan, Draghi replied: “We’ll talk about it later.” Immediately afterwards, Scholz and Macron joined him and together they toured a block of houses blackened by bombs and flames: “That you have to see and get to know everything. I am grateful “for your testimony.” Unfortunately, massacres were committed in Bucha and other cities, which are war crimes,” said Macron. “Ukraine needs more effective defensive weapons” to defend itself against the Russian invasion, he added in salute the “heroism” of Ukrainians.” “We need Ukraine to resist and win the war,” Macron said.
ANSA agency
Diplomatic source Paris: “We are for an integral victory” (ANSA)
Chancellor Scholz promised to help Ukraine “for as long as necessary,” he said in an interview with the Bild newspaper. During this visit to Kyiv – he said – “we want not only to show our solidarity, but also to make sure that the aid we organize – financial, humanitarian, but also in terms of arms – will continue”. “We will continue as long as it is necessary for Ukraine’s struggle for independence.”
ANSA.it
The three leaders in the country for the first time since February 24 (ANSA)
The Kremlin defines Western arms shipments as “useless”, while the three European leaders Draghi, Macron and Scholz are in Kyiv to also discuss with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy the need for new weapons to support Ukraine against the Russian invasion.
On board the Ukrainian train that took them to Kyiv, the three European leaders had a two-hour meeting: they met in a carriage immediately after the convoy departed last night, with a view to meeting Zelenskyy. The purpose of the visit is to deliver “a message of unity and full cohesion among EU countries” by condemning Russia and helping Ukraine.
“Today’s visit is not only symbolic, but politically crucial in terms of what we will decide next week,” said European Parliament President Roberta Metsola when asked about Draghi’s mission to Kyiv, Macron and Scholz during a candidacy for the Ukraine press conference from Prague. “There are always several steps” in the accession process, but “we would really disappoint not only the Ukrainians, but ourselves and our Union if we closed the door on this brave people,” Metsola said in Prague during the visit of the Czech Presidency. EU.
It’s an order charged with political and symbolic value: the heads of state and government of the three main EU countries together, face to face with Volodymyr Zelenskyy. To demonstrate European unity and perhaps to show a line that is not necessarily identical to that of the Americans. On the eve of the operation, it was the Elysée chief who more clearly acknowledged Washington’s intransigence towards the Kremlin: “The Ukrainian president and his officials will have to negotiate with Russia – stressed by Romania – for this we will do everything possible to stop the Russian armed forces.” and help the Ukrainians and their army. The trip of the three leaders to Ukraine falls into a very complicated phase, because on the ground the Russian army continues to gain ground through increased firepower in the Donbass, while the Ukrainians are struggling to defend themselves, but are increasingly exhausted and more support is expected from the European allies .
ANSA agency
Gaidai, the Russian attack on the city continued this morning (ANSA)
MOSCOW-WASHINGTON TENSION
“It’s unlikely as a summit of leaders is currently possible. And it is unlikely that this will be possible in the near future.” According to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, as reported by Ria Novosti. Although one has to be honest and admit that international affairs are an issue that sometimes require a pragmatic approach . . And then trends change pretty quickly,” he added.