IRPIN, Ukraine (AP) – French President Emmanuel Macron said Thursday that there were signs of war crimes outside Kiev following “massacres” by Russian forces.
He spoke on a visit to Irpin along with other European leaders to express support for Ukraine. He condemned the “barbarism” of the attacks, which devastated the city, and praised the courage of residents of Irpin and other cities in the Kiev region who prevented Russian forces from attacking the capital.
This is a news update. Below is the previous AP story.
Kiev, Ukraine (AP) – Leaders from France, Germany, Italy and Romania arrived in Kiev on Thursday to express collective European support for the Ukrainian people as they oppose Russia’s aggression, marking the most popular visiting the capital of Ukraine since Russia. . He broke up with a neighbor.
The French president’s office said President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, representing the three largest economies in Europe, traveled together to Kiev on a special night train provided by Ukrainian authorities. .
Romanian President Klaus Johannes – who is on the border with Ukraine and has been the destination of many Ukrainian refugees – arrived on a separate train and as soon as he arrived he tweeted: “This illegal Russian invasion is must stop! “
After getting off the train in Kiev, Macron said he and the other leaders would visit the locations where the attacks took place.
“This is a message of European unity to the Ukrainian people. Support him now and in the future, because the next few weeks will be very difficult,” Macron said.
The visit came as Russian forces attacked the eastern region of Donbass, slowly but steadily occupying the land from armed and unarmed Ukrainian forces desperately seeking more weapons from their Western allies.
The sirens of several airstrikes rang out as European leaders arrived at the hotel preparing for the rest of the visit, and Kiev authorities urged people to seek shelter. Such warnings are a common occurrence.
When he left the hotel, Macron put his hand on his heart and said in English: “I want to express my admiration to the Ukrainian people.”
The German news agency dpa quoted Scholz as saying the leaders were trying to show solidarity but also continue their commitment to provide Ukraine with financial and humanitarian aid and arms supplies.
Scholz added that this support will continue “as long as it is necessary in the struggle for Ukraine’s independence”.
Scholz said the sanctions against Russia were also significant and could lead to the withdrawal of Moscow troops, the dpa said.
European leaders will meet with Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky. The visit carries a lot of symbolic significance as the three Western European powers are often criticized for not providing Ukraine with weapons of the size requested by Zelensky and for being willing to resume talks with the Russian President who Vladimir Putin.
Many leaders and ordinary people in the Baltic and Central European countries controlled by Moscow during the Cold War believe that Putin only understands power and considers the efforts of Macron and others to continue talks with Putin afterwards. of his aggression unacceptable.
Ukrainians have high hopes that this visit will be a change in opening the way for a significant new supply of weapons.
The visit comes as EU leaders prepare to make a decision on June 23-24 on Ukraine’s request to become a candidate for EU membership and before a major NATO summit on June 29-30 in Madrid.
Also on Thursday, NATO defense ministers met in Brussels to discuss additional military assistance to Ukraine. On Wednesday, the U.S. and Germany announced more aid as the U.S. and its allies provided more distant weapons, saying they could bring about changes in a conflict in which Ukrainian forces outnumber to the Russian conquerors.
During a trip to neighboring Ukraine, Romania and Moldova on Tuesday, Macron said a “message of support” should be sent to Ukraine before EU heads of state or government have to “make important decisions. ” at a meeting in Brussels.
“We are at a time when we must send clear political signals – we, the Europeans, we, the European Union – to Ukraine and to the Ukrainian people,” he said.
Macron is deeply involved in diplomatic efforts to establish a ceasefire with Ukraine, which will allow for future peace talks. He has been in frequent contact with Zelensky and has spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin on the phone several times since Putin launched the invasion in late February.
Scholz has long opposed trips to Kiev, saying he doesn’t want to “join the ranks of people rushing for a photo.” Instead, Scholz said the trip should focus on doing “specific things”.
On Wednesday, Germany announced it would provide Ukraine with three multiple missile systems, as Kiev said it needed to defend itself against Russian aggression.
Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht said Germany would deliver an M270 medium-range artillery missile system and ammunition to Ukraine.
Speaking at a meeting of NATO defense ministers in Brussels, Lambrecht said that the training of Ukrainian troops on advanced howitzers in Germany will soon be completed, the handover of which Berlin has already announced.
He said more missile systems could be delivered in late July or early August after equipment training.
Lambrecht said Germany hoped the systems would have a “rapid and significant impact on the battlefield”.
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Reported by Corbett from Paris and Lester from Kiev, Ukraine. Frank Jordan and Gair Moulson participated in this report in Berlin.
Source: Huffpost
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