“Neither resigned nor defeatist”: meeting in Paris of Ukraine’s allies

Around twenty heads of state and government, mainly European, are meeting on Monday at Paris à the initiative of French President Emmanuel Macron to reaffirm their support for Ukraine, in critical situation facing à Moscow and whose fate hangs in the balance Western aid.

The victory or defeat of Ukraine “depends on you”, President Volodymyr Zelensky told his allies on Sunday, who will address the meeting organized at the Elysée presidential palace by videoconference.

The vast majority of European leaders, including German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Polish President Andrzej Duda, and the Prime Ministers of around 15 EU countries , will be present at this meeting.

“President Putin's Russia must not count on any weariness of the Europeans”, the head of state assured X French Saturday, two-year anniversary of the Russian invasion.

At a time when American support, crucial for Kiev, is still blocked in Congress, and when the possibility of Donald Trump's return to the White House is giving the EU cold sweats, Mr. Macron is calling on Europe to “collective burst” against Russia.

French President Emmanuel Macron (right) and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky shake hands on February 16, 2024 in Paris © POOL – Thibault Camus

The resurgence of cyber and informational attacks from an “increasingly aggressive” Russia will also be discussed during the meeting, according to the Elysée, which castigates Russian “intimidation” maneuvers.

American and Canadian representatives will participate in the meeting, as well as the head of British diplomacy David Cameron.

– “Break the idea of ​​a defeat” –

The goal is to “remobilize and examine all means of supporting Ukraine effectively”, indicates the Elysée, at a time when Kiev , lacking arms and ammunition, finds itself in a very difficult situation facing Russia.

Russian President Vladimir Putin (left), accompanied by his Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu (right), attends a ceremony on February 23, 2024 in Moscow © POOL – Sergei SAVOSTYANOV

“It is about contradicting the impression that things are falling apart, reaffirming that we are not tired and that we are determined to stop Russian aggression. We “We want to send a clear message to Putin that he will not prevail in Ukraine”, insists the French presidency.

“We are neither resigned nor defeatist”, insists the Elysée, “there will be no victory for Russia in Ukraine”.

If there is any news Aid announcements are not planned, participants will examine ways to “do better and more decisively”, while Kiev affirmed on Sunday that half of the promised Western weapons are delivered late.

“Everyone is doing everything they can in terms of arms delivery. We must all be able to do better together, each according to their abilities”, according to the French presidency, while some Europeans, notably Paris and Berlin, accuse each other more or less openly of not doing enough.

Several countries, including France, Germany and Italy, have signed bilateral security agreements with Kiev in recent weeks, but the EU, which has delivered 28 billion euros in aid since the start of the war military, struggles to keep its commitments, particularly in terms of shell deliveries.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, February 24, 2024 in kyiv © AFP – Genya SAVILOV

“Europeans have the means to do significant things,” noted former American diplomat Debra Cagan at an Atlantic Council conference on Friday.

But “if Ukraine had already had the F16 fighter jets, if it had Germany's Taurus (missiles), we would see an entirely different conflict today,” she said. added.

“Indecision causes more death and destruction,” she warned.

< p>American aid of 60 billion dollars has also been blocked in Congress for months.

Ukraine is convinced that the United States will not “will not give up” in the face of Russia and will end up voting, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Chmygal declared on Sunday.

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