France on Monday promised Ukraine dozens extra gentle tanks and armoured autos after President Emmanuel Macron met Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky in Paris as Kyiv readies for a extensively anticipated counter-offensive.
Recent off stops in Rome after which Germany, Zelensky dined with Macron on the Elysee Palace on Sunday night time, the place the pair mentioned boosting army support.
“Within the coming weeks, France will prepare and equip a number of battalions with tens of armored autos and light-weight tanks together with AMX-10RC,” they mentioned in a joint assertion afterwards.
In addition they referred to as for recent sanctions in opposition to Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine “to weaken Russia’s potential to proceed its unlawful struggle of aggression.”
After months of stalemate, Ukraine has been getting ready to retake floor captured by Russia and has been stockpiling Western-supplied munitions and shoring up assist on a diplomatic tour.
Zelensky’s arrival in Paris got here hours after European Union leaders in Germany introduced him with a prize for the Ukrainian individuals for combating for the bloc’s freedom and values.
“Ukraine incarnates all the things the European thought resides for: the braveness of convictions, the battle for values and freedom, the dedication to peace and unity,” mentioned EU chief Ursula von der Leyen on the Charlemagne award ceremony in Aachen.
For German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Russia’s struggle on its neighbour had “cemented one clear realisation: Ukraine is a part of our European household”.
Upon arriving on the Villacoublay airbase southwest of Paris on Sunday, Zelensky tweeted: “Ties with Europe are getting stronger, and the strain on Russia is rising.”
“Paris. With every go to, Ukraine’s protection and offensive capabilities are increasing.”
– Germany ‘a real pal’ –
Zelensky was awarded the Charlemagne Prize throughout his first journey to Germany since Russia’s invasion, a day after assembly Italian leaders and Pope Francis in Rome.
The weekend diplomatic tour comes forward of an EU summit in Reykjavik and a gathering of G7 leaders in Japan.
Zelensky received prolonged standing ovations on the Aachen ceremony, throughout which EU leaders additionally vowed to assist Ukraine on its highway to becoming a member of the bloc.
Calling Germany a “true pal and dependable ally” to Ukraine because it battles to repel Russian invaders, Zelensky held separate talks with Scholz and President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
Berlin is getting ready a brand new army package deal for Kyiv value 2.7 billion euros ($3 billion), its greatest but for Ukraine and hailed by Zelensky as a “highly effective assist”.
“Now’s the time for us to find out the top of this struggle this yr. This yr, we are able to make the aggressor’s defeat irreversible,” mentioned the Ukrainian chief.
Germany, as soon as accused of reticence in supplying army gear to Ukraine, has change into the second-biggest contributor of tanks, rockets and anti-missile techniques to the nation, after the US.
– ‘So long as vital’ –
Early within the battle, Kyiv had accused Germany of being too accommodating to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
However on the eve of Zelensky’s go to, Berlin mentioned it might ship Ukraine extra firing models and launchers for the Iris-T anti-missile system, 30 extra Leopard 1 tanks, greater than 100 armoured fight autos and over 200 surveillance drones.
Scholz on Sunday reiterated Berlin’s backing. “We’ll assist you for so long as it’s vital,” he instructed Zelensky.
Zelensky mentioned he would urge Scholz to assist Ukraine’s bid for fighter jet deliveries, although he didn’t specify if he was searching for plane immediately from Germany.
Ukrainian forces have been coaching troops and readying weapons that analysts say will likely be key to reclaiming territory within the jap areas of Donetsk and Lugansk, in addition to within the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia areas within the south.
– ‘Inaction’ –
On the entrance line, Kyiv mentioned Ukrainian forces had captured greater than 10 Russian positions on the outskirts of the flashpoint city of Bakhmut.
Russia mentioned two of its army commanders had been killed in fight close to the city, the place combating has been raging for days.
The pinnacle of Russia’s personal Wagner mercenary group Yevgeny Prigozhin once more accused the Russian military of inaction round Bakhmut.
In a submit revealed by his press service, Prigozhin slammed the “airborne forces” for not backing his males because the defence ministry had claimed.
“I did not see them… I do not know the place they’re and who they’re serving to,” mentioned Prigozhin.
Elsewhere, Moscow mentioned Russian forces had struck Western arm depots and Ukrainian troops within the western metropolis of Ternopil and the jap city of Petropavlivka.
bur/lb/qan