War in Ukraine: Zelensky visits London and Paris, accession to the European Union… an update on the situation
|Volodymyr Zelensky avec Emmanuel Macron à Paris le 10 octobre 2024. MAXPPP – CHRISTOPHE PETIT TESSON
Tous les jours, Midi Libre fait le point sur la situation en Ukraine. Ce jeudi 10 octobre 2024, découvrez les dernières actualités autour de ce conflit.
Zelensky in London and Paris on Thursday
French President Emmanuel Macron said Thursday during a visit to Paris by his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky that France was advancing "in line with its commitments" military support for Ukraine in its war against Russia, adding that it was a "very unique model of cooperation".
As the war between Ukraine and Russia enters its 32nd month, Volodymyr Zelensky is on a European tour this week aimed at securing continued military support from kyiv’s allies, whose troops are struggling against the Russian military in eastern Ukraine. He has also long advocated for lifting restrictions on the use of Western-supplied long-range weapons for strikes deep into Russian territory.
Kiev’s allies have expressed reservations about the prospect, fearing military escalation. The Ukrainian leader was originally scheduled to attend a summit with Western allies – the so-called “Ramstein” contact group – on Friday at the US military base of the same name in Germany, but the meeting was postponed due to the absence of US President Joe Biden, who remained in the United States to oversee the response to Hurricane Milton.
Volodymyr Zelensky said he presented Emmanuel Macron with his “plan for victory”, dismissing reports, which he described as Russian propaganda, that he had traveled to discuss a ceasefire with Moscow. Speaking alongside the French president from the courtyard of the Elysee Palace, he added that he wanted the next summit on the war in Ukraine to be held in November.
“A plan will be on the table” early next month, the Ukrainian president told reporters. Emmanuel Macron reaffirmed for his part "France's support for the Ukrainian resistance against the Russian war of aggression".
“It was an important step to be able to discuss with (Volodymyr Zelensky) the coming weeks and months, both military and diplomatic work”, the French president said. France is advancing “in line with its commitments” military support for Ukraine of up to 3 billion euros this year, he added, stressing that Europe and the G7 had also taken “important decisions” for Ukraine.
A day after a visit to Croatia, Volodymyr Zelensky had earlier in the day travelled to London, where he met with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. “It is very important that we can show our continued commitment to Ukraine,”, Keir Starmer said at the start of his meeting with the Ukrainian leader.
Mark Rutte, who took office eight days earlier as head of the transatlantic alliance, confirmed that the issue of long-range strikes inside Russian territory was raised during the discussions. “Ultimately, the decision is up to the allies individually,”, he told reporters.
Before Volodymyr Zelensky's arrival in Paris, the Elysée Palace had announced that Emmanuel Macron would reaffirm France's “unwavering support” long-term support for Ukraine, while the deterioration of French public finances and a “budget bailout” expected to be severe for 2025 cast doubt on these aids.
France and Ukraine signed a security cooperation agreement in February, under which Paris pledged to provide up to €3 billion in additional military aid to Ukraine this year. Zelensky is now expected in Rome, where he is due to meet with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and then meet Pope Francis at the Vatican on Friday. He will finally stop in Germany where he will meet with Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
Von der Leyen in Moldova before the referendum on EU membership
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen met Moldovan President Maia Sandu on Thursday, supporting her ahead of the presidential election and the referendum on Chisinau's membership of the European Union (EU).
“I feel the pulse of Europe beating here", von der Leyen said in a post on social media X, adding that Moldova had a rightful place in the EU. Von der Leyen also posted a video of her meeting with Sandu. Moldovan President Maia Sandu, who considers Russia to be the greatest threat to her country's security, has made EU membership a cornerstone of her administration.
A staunch opponent of Russia's war in Ukraine, she has secured a referendum on EU membership to be held on October 20, alongside the presidential election. “The visit underlines the increasingly close relations between Chisinau and Brussels,”, the Moldovan president's office said in a statement ahead of the meeting.
Moldova began formal negotiations in June to join the EU. Polls show Maia Sandu as the frontrunner in the election, also indicating that a majority of Moldovans support joining the European Union. Moldovan police have alleged serious Russian interference in the elections, which Moscow has denied.