Macron and Starmer will prescribe a meeting of Ukraine's European allies. Discussion of maintaining Kiev's fighting capacity
Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron Photo: Telmo Pinto / Sopa Images / Shutters / Shutterstock Editorial / Profimedia
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron will co -defend on Thursday, in a video conference format from Northwood, near London, a meeting of the “volunteer” countries to strengthen Ukraine's defense capabilities in front of the Russian invasion, AFP reports.
They will exchange opinions with Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenski and other leaders, including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who will be reunited in Rome at the same time for a conference dedicated to the reconstruction of Ukraine, as well as with other responsible in other capitals, the French presidency said.
“Of course there will be a discussion on how to seriously maintain Ukraine's ability to fight”, to ensure the “regeneration of the Ukrainian army” and the development of “a reinsurance force in a cessation of fire when the time comes,” the Elysee Palace said. This reinsurance force, still purely theoretical, aims to guarantee the security of Ukraine after a possible cessation of fire to discourage a new Russian offensive.
The Europeans, who will mostly form it, will not be in the front line, and therefore, before all on the Ukrainian forces to prevent the Russians from relaunching or extending the hostilities, on the day they will be stopped. The idea is therefore to strengthen the Ukrainian army and bring it to NATO norms in order to become strong enough to discourage Moscow.
The coalition of Kiev allies, over 30 countries, was also designed to bring Europe in the diplomatic game, notes AFP.
The discussion will refer to Thursday and “how to increase the pressure on Russia to convince it to accept this cessation of unconditional fire, which it constantly refuses,” stresses the Elysee Palace.
“I am very disappointed.” Donald Trump, new statements about the discussion with Putin on Thursday
In a rare confession of powerlessness, Donald Trump acknowledged on Thursday that he had “no progress” to end the war in Ukraine, after a telephone conversation with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Putin-trumping conversation occurred one day after Washington announced a break in delivering certain types of weapons for Ukraine, a decision that risks putting Kiev in a difficult position at a time when Russian troops continue to advance on the front.
The Kremlin appreciated on Friday that “it is not possible” in this stage “to reach” its goals in Diplomatic Ukraine, thus continuing its large-scale offensive.
