French President Emmanuel Macron said “Ukrainian counteroffensive began several days ago," in a joint news conference with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Poland’s President Andrzej Duda at the Elysee presidential palace, ABC News reported.
In a show of unity, the three leaders insisted they would continue to support Ukraine for as long as necessary.
“This offensive is set to be deployed over several weeks if not months. We have done everything to help them, within the limits we set ourselves at the start of the conflict,” Macron said.
He promised to continue deliveries of weapons, ammunition and armored vehicles “over the coming days and weeks."
France wants the counteroffensive “to be as successful as possible to then be able to launch a negotiation phase (with Russia) under the right conditions,” Macron added.
Duda, who talked by phone with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday evening, said, “I hope and believe that with our support, the counteroffensive will be successful ... This victory, in my deepest feeling, will be the ousting of Russian military forces from all occupied territories.”
The three leaders refused to be drawn on the detail of future security guarantees for Ukraine over the longer term.
“It is time that Putin finally recognizes that his plan has failed, that he ends the war after almost 16 months with hundreds of thousands of dead, with millions injured and even more refugees" Scholz claimed, adding that "That he is withdrawing troops and is finally ready for serious talks about a fair peace."
Over their working dinner, leaders were also due to discuss humanitarian aid to Ukraine, particularly following the attack on the Kakhovka dam, which has devastated large areas of southeastern Ukraine with flooding.
Western countries have been supplying military aid to Ukraine since the start of the war in February 2022. The aid evolved from artillery munitions and training in 2022 to heavier weapons, including tanks, later that year and in 2023.
The Kremlin, in turn, has repeatedly warned against continued arms deliveries to Kyiv. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said any cargo that contains weapons for Ukraine will become a legitimate target for Russia.
SKH/PR
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