French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and British Prime Ministers Keir Starmer arrived in kyiv on Saturday morning to display with Polish government Donald Tusk their support for Ukraine. The three leaders left the train together that brought them from Poland and must later join President Volodymyr Zelensky and Mr. Tusk.
They arrived in kyiv. Emmanuel Macron, Friedrich Merz, Keir Starmer and Donald Tusk, made the trip to display their support for Ukraine and claim, in concert with the United States, one “Complete and unconditional ceasefire of 30 days“In Moscow, in the aftermath of a demonstration of Russian diplomatic force.
This visit to the French, German, British and Polish leaders responds, symbolically, to the commemorations with great fanfare of the 80th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany held Friday in the Red Place around the Russian President Vladimir Putin and about twenty foreign leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping. “”We will continue to increase our support for Ukraine. We will intensify our pressure on the Russian war machine until Russia accepts a sustainable ceasefire“, they warn in a joint declaration.
In kyiv, the European quartet must hold, alongside the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, a virtual meeting with the other leaders of the “volunteer coalition“, These essentially European Western countries, ready to bring”security guarantees“In Ukraine. They will inform other countries of”Progress made for a future coalition bringing together air, land and sea forces to help regenerate the Ukrainian armed forces after a possible peace agreement and to strengthen future peace confidence“, according to their declaration.
In relaxed outfit, in a wagon
The French president and the British Prime Minister provide the management of this still blurred contours which has already met in Paris and London. MM. Macron, Starmer and Merz embarked on the same train in Poland near the border with Ukraine and found themselves in relaxed outfit in a wagon for a three exchange.
Lead to an American-European common plan of ceasefies
The Europeans go to kyiv forts of the call of the American president Donald Trump, who pressed Russia on Thursday to accept one “Unconditional 30-day ceasefire “. He threatened with new Western sanctions in the event of failure. Emmanuel Macron said Friday wish to succeed “In the coming hours and next few days “ to an American-European common plan of ceasefire, accompanied by new “Massive economic sanctions“In case of failure.
“We reaffirm our support for calls launched by President Trump in favor of a peace agreement and we ask Russia to stop (to)“, Hammed the four European leaders.”Alongside the United States, we call on Russia to accept a full and unconditional ceasefire of 30 days to allow the holding of talks for fair and lasting peace“add these leaders who must also make “Tribute to the defenders of Ukraine killed and wounded during this war waged by Russia, on Maidan square, where flags float in memory of these victims”.
Western weapons
Friday, in Moscow, Vladimir Putin celebrated the “courage“Russian soldiers engaged in the conflict since the invasion of the neighboring country which he ordered in February 2022. The war in Ukraine made tens of thousands of deaths and Russia currently occupies 20% of the Ukrainian territory. On the American channel ABC, the spokesperson for Kremlin, Dmitri Peskov, said that a cease-fire should be preceded by a decision of arms. Western, failing which it would give “An advantage in Ukraine “ at a time when “Russian troops are advancing in a guarantee” on the forehead.
He judged that Ukraine was not “Not ready for immediate negotiations” for a diplomatic solution.
Moscow has yet rejected calls to the ceasefire, containing itself to unilaterally decree a three-day truce; who is due to end on Saturday, on the occasion of the victory celebrations over Nazi Germany. Ukraine has raised hundreds of violations. Since Donald Trump’s return to the White House in January, and his start of spectacular rapprochement with the master of the Kremlin, the Ukrainians and the Europeans fear an agreement which would be forged without their consent.
But they hope to have succeeded in granting their violins with the American president, especially since a Trump-Zelenksy tête-à-tête in Rome for the funeral of Pope Francis on April 26. For Emmanuel Macron, this is the second visit to Ukraine since the start of the war after that of June 2022 – at the time with the German and Italian leaders. He has said he wanted to go back several times, while arguing that a trip should be “useful“.
“There are a whole series of symbols”explains those around him to AFP to justify the choice of May 10. “”That the leaders of France, Germany, the United Kingdom and Poland come in block four days after the election of the German Chancellor, it shows the unity, the strength, the reactivity of Europe“, estimates a relative of the French president. “And then it’s mirror with Putin celebrations”.
kiev emmanuel macron Friedrich Merz Keir Starmer Donald Tusk Moscou invasion en Ukraine
