Thursday, June 16, 2022

112th day of war: The President of France, together with the German Chancellor and the Italian Prime Minister, visit Ukraine


 Emmanuel Macron, Olaf Scholz and Mario Draghi in Ukraine. The leaders visited Irpin, where traces of war crimes against civilians were discovered after the departure of the Russian troops.

- It is a heroic city, marked by the stigma of barbarism. War crimes and massacres were committed here, President Emanuel Macron told reporters. - France has been supporting Ukraine from day one - assured the politician, when asked by journalists about his earlier words, so as not to "humiliate Russia".

 The French president declared that Europe and Europeans would help Ukraine rebuild the country from the devastation of the war. Macron congratulated the Ukrainians on their "heroism in defense of their homeland."

Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs Zbigniew Rau: The fact that they came in the fourth month of the war shows this support.

"Undoubtedly, one should express satisfaction that already in the fourth month of the war these gentlemen agreed a common agenda and went to Kiev. Indeed, this is very valuable in relations between the EU and Ukraine," - said Rau.

"Ukraine, at the cost of great sacrifices, the life and blood of its citizens, has been waging a war with the aggressor, much stronger than itself, for four months, therefore - when it starts negotiations, under what conditions, what will they concern, it should be left to Ukraine," he added. 

During his visit to Irpin, the German chancellor noted that the entire city had been destroyed, although it had no military targets.

"That says much about the brutality of Russian aggression, which is simply aimed at destruction and conquest," said Scholz. - It's a terrible war. Russia conducts it with great brutality, ignoring people's lives. It must finally stop, he stressed.

Four European leaders (Macron, Scholz, and Draghi are accompanied by the President of Romania on their journey) were guided through the ruins by the President's Plenipotentiary for European Integration, Oleksi Chernyshov.

The plan of the visit includes a meeting with the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky.