For the second time since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Emmanuel Macron was this Saturday, May 10 to kyiv to meet Volodymyr Zelensky, said the Elysée. During a trip to Nancy this Friday, the French president said he would go there in “useful time”, without wanting to give more details. The Ukrainian president announced earlier in the day the celebration of a Leaders of the “voluntary coalition”which brings together mainly European countries that support Kyiv.
Emmanuel Macron will be accompanied by the new German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Europe asks Russia “to accept a stop the fire”
The objective of this visit: “It reaffirms our support for the calls launched by President Trump in favor of a peace agreement.” This Thursday, the US president reiterated his call to “a high unconditional fire of 30 days” in Ukraine this before leading to a “lasting peace.”
“Next to the United States, we ask Russia to accept a full and unconditional fire of 30 days to allow conversations to be maintained for fair and lasting peace,” writes leaders.
“We ask Russia to stop obstructing the efforts made to achieve lasting peace,” he continues through A joint statement of the four heads of state.
The latter says they are “ready to support peace conversations as soon as possible” with the aim of “addressing the technical methods to implement the high fire and prepare a global peace agreement.”
French, Poles, British and German leaders also claim that “Ukraine must be able to reconnect (…) with prosperity as a safe, safe and sovereign nation on their internationally recognized borders.”
A reference to Crimea, illegally annexed by Russia in 2014. At the end of April, Donald Trump said this peninsula “will remain under Russian control”, describing this “lost” territory for “years.” For his part, Volodymyr Zelensky had reaffirmed that Crimea was part of the Ukrainian territory, believing that Crimea’s status is not “to be discussed.”
During his visit, Emmanuel Macron, Donald Tusk, Keir Starmer and Friedrich Merz will go to Maidan Square in kyiv, to “pay tribute to the defenders of Ukraine murdered and wounded during this war fought by Russia.”
Then, together with the Ukrainian President, they will participate in a virtual meeting with several partners, even according to the Elysée.
The French president only went to Ukraine since the beginning of the war in February 2022. It was in June of the same year during a trip next to the German Chancellor of the Olaf Scholz era, but also of the president of the Italian Council Mario Draghi and the Romanian President Klaus Iohannis.
Source: BFM TV
