on the front, “there is Russian progress, but it is slow”, according to the French ambassador in kyiv

Since the election of Donald Trump, Russia has increased pressure on the front, to the point that Joe Biden has given authorization to the Ukrainians to retaliate in depth with American weapons. He even plans to soon supply antipersonnel mines to Ukraine.

The capital of Ukraine woke up to snow on Thursday, November 21 in the morning. “People’s concern, obviously, is the heating and that’s what’s going to happen in the heart of winter”underlines on franceinfo Gaël Veyssière, French ambassador to Ukraine, while “50% of power plants” of electricity production were destroyed by Russian strikes. “There are regular power outages after strikes”, but “it remains manageable”he says. The residents of kyiv are trying to live normally despite the airstrikes. “Unfortunately, in Ukraine, we are quite used to this kind of situationexplains the ambassador, we must always be concerned to know, when we go out, where there may be shelter near the place we are going to.”

“There is very strong Ukrainian concern that the Russian push continues”assures Gaël Veyssière, deploring the intensification of Russian strikes targeting Ukraine since November 7. But unlike the United States, Spain, Italy and Hungary, France did not close its embassy on Wednesday for security reasons. “At this point”France does not plan to reduce its diplomatic staff either.

On the military level, “there is a fear on their part of not being able to stabilize the front. But for the moment, things are relatively stable. There is Russian progress, but it is slow”specifies Gaël Veyssière. While the United States plans to supply antipersonnel mines to Ukraine, the ambassador recalls that France, unlike the Americans, is a signatory to the Ottawa Convention which prohibits the use, storage and production of mines antipersonnel. “Obviously it’s not something we encourage.”reacts the French ambassador. But if “we share with the United States the same basic concern which is the protection of Ukraine”he specifies, “on this point, obviously, we are not online”, he said. “These are weapons which are given by the different partners to the Ukrainians and it is they who take responsibility for them and who use them. Naturally, for the most sensitive weapons, yes, there is an exchange”he explains.

After authorization from the United States, Ukraine has been using long-range missiles on Russian territory for several days. France also supplied Scalp missiles of the same nature to kyiv. Gaël Veyssière does not wish to dwell on possible contacts between France and Ukraine, on the choice of targets: “There are contacts with Ukraine anyway, of course. Afterwards, on the operational level, I have no indication to give,” he concludes.