Direct war in Ukraine: France supplies 6 new Caesar rifles to Ukraine

Olaf Scholz said in kyiv that he hoped a “positive decision” would come from the European Union on the candidacy of Ukraine and Moldova. “Ukraine is part of the European family,” the German chancellor promised at a joint press conference, noting that “everything necessary” is needed to “find consensus” within the EU to launch these applications.

Despite the support of the leaders of the four European countries in the queue for the position of “immediate” candidate for Ukraine to join the European Union, the European leaders will have to decide on granting this status at the summit on June 23 and 24. The process of negotiations that will last for many years. The Commission is due to release its recommendation this Friday.

The French president, in agreement with other European heads of state, called on Russia to “lift the blockade of Ukrainian ports by the navy” and “provide all security guarantees to Ukraine to allow these grains to leave.”

Emmanuel Macron declared that “the country will send a team of experts to gather evidence and allow justice to be done in its course.” The mobile DNA analysis laboratory will also be used in Ukraine to “fight against all forms of punishment”.

“We extend the fraternal greetings of the people of Europe to the free and sovereign people,” Emmanuel Macron declared during a joint press conference in kyiv. “We are on your side to protect your sovereignty. (…) This is our goal, we have nothing else, ”he added. The French head of state stressed: “Europe is on your side and will continue to win until it is needed.”

“Italy wants Ukraine to join the European Union. He also wants Ukraine to have candidate status and to support this position at the next European Council, ”Italian Prime Minister Mario Tragi told a news conference. “We are at a turning point in our history. The Ukrainian people are defending the values ​​of democracy and freedom every day. They are the basis of the European agenda, the basis of our agenda,” he added.

“The aggression against Ukraine is an aggression against the whole of Europe,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zhelensky said in a preamble to a news conference. “Ukraine is in the lead” against Russian forces “but it is not alone”. “Russia does not want peace, it only wants war.”

The four heads of state said France, Germany, Italy and Romania support “immediate” candidate status for EU membership. “This situation will be accompanied by a roadmap, which will also take into account the situation in and around the Balkans, especially in Moldova,” Macron said.

France will provide “six” Caesar More for Ukraine, ”Emmanuel Macron told a news conference. “In addition to the 12 Caesars already provided, I have decided to offer six additional Caesars.”

The joint press conference of European leaders in Kiev has come to an end. While waiting for its delayed broadcast on television, initial reports suggest that heads of state have issued announcements.

Prevent sites that spread Inbox from advertising and better cooperate with truth verifiers … Digital sites have pledged to intensify their fight against misinformation in the EU, pushed by Brussels, especially to respond to the “information war” coming from Moscow. . The new European Code of Conduct Against Misinformation has amassed 33 signatories, doubling the old version since 2018: giants such as Meta, Google, Twitter, Microsoft, Dictoc, but smaller sites, as well as advertising experts, verifiers and NGOs Reporters without Borders ( And the like Avas.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights announced on Thursday that the Ukrainian port of Mariupol, which came under Russian control in May after a devastating siege, would “leave an indelible mark on civilian lives” and “for generations to come.” Rights Michelle Bachelet. Ahead of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, he stressed that “parents who have to bury their children, those who have seen their friends commit suicide, those whose families have been torn apart, and those who have to leave without ever seeing a beloved city again.” .

The company that manages the two major European basketball tournaments, Euroleague (C1) and Eurocup (C2), has suspended all Russian clubs from its two matches for the 2022/23 season, it announced. Euroleek basketball has already decided to suspend meetings of three Russian clubs (CSKA Moscow, Zenit St. Petersburg and Kazan), until all three clubs are excluded from the tournament, until the end of the season.

The press conference scheduled for Macron, Scholes and Tracy this afternoon was not broadcast live. A BFMTV correspondent in kyiv explained, “For security reasons it is difficult for journalists to give us their mobile phones for the simple reason that they are there.”

Alexei Miller, a Russian gas company, defended his group’s options of continuing to reduce its supplies to Europe in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and Western sanctions against Moscow. “Our product, our rules. We do not play by the rules we do not create,” he said. “Russia is a reliable energy supplier to Russia’s friends.”

On Wednesday, the Russian company Gazprom cut its gas supply to the Italian group ENI by 15%, citing technical issues and today the Italian company announced that it would supply only 65% ​​of the requested quantities. “Daily gas demand from ENI is approximately 44% higher than yesterday, and Gazprom announced that only 65% ​​of the requested volumes will be delivered, due to recovery of unearned quantities and normal business dynamics.” ENI said in a statement. Therefore, the amount of gas distributed will be “slightly higher” than on Wednesday and will reach about 32 million m3 per day, ENI added.

The Dutch secret service has blocked a Russian spy from accessing the International Criminal Court, which is sitting in the Netherlands’ hake and investigating alleged war crimes in Ukraine. “The AIVD prevented a Russian intelligence agent from approaching the company as a trainer,” the agency said in a statement, citing a person working in Russian military intelligence. GRU.

The German president traveled to Ukraine on Thursday, saying he had “accepted an invitation” from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zhelensky to attend the next G7 summit in Bavaria in late June.

Olaf Scholes wrote on Twitter that “thanks to Mr. Zhelensky for accepting my invitation to attend the G7 summit” to be held at the Elmaw (southern) Fortress from June 26 to 28. Volodymyr Zhelensky, who has not left Ukraine since the beginning of the Russian invasion, will head to Bavaria by video.

Emmanuel Macron, Olaf Scholes and Mario Drok begin their interviews with the Ukrainian leader in Kiev. Arriving at the Kyiv station about ten hours later by train from southeastern Poland, the French president, who holds the rotating leadership of the European Union until June 30, said the leaders had arrived to address the “message of European unity”. Support for kyiv “for the present and the future”. At the end of the meeting, the European leaders will hold a joint press conference.

“Attempts to intimidate the patriot of the Russian Church or force him to abandon his views are absurd, meaningless and hopeless,” said Vladimir Lekoida, a spokesman for the Russian Orthodox Church. “The Church – especially now – is the last bridge, a communication device they are trying to destroy,” he added, condemning “political forces whose main goal is to escalate conflict and break the peace.” As part of a new wave of operations in Russia on Thursday allowed the patriotic grill of London and the Kremlin ombudsman for children’s rights Maria Lvova-Belova to “forcibly adopt and transfer Ukrainian children.” These measures include a ban on entry into British territory and the freezing of their assets in the United Kingdom.

Emmanuel Macron traveled to Ukraine on Thursday morning with German Chancellor Olaf Scholes and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi. It was a long-awaited move, but the course of the war should not be reversed, as Christian-Lequesne, a professor of political science at Science-Po Paris, explained to us, especially an expert on European affairs. Maintenance.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the ban was aimed at “building structures, businesses, experts and journalists to create a russophobic agenda” in Australia. In April, Moscow had already announced personal sanctions against former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and a number of Australian leaders, including ministers and members of parliament.

“European lovers want frogs, liver sausages and spaghetti to come to the queue. To no avail. They promised the EU member and the old Howitzer (…) went home by train as they did a hundred years ago. The clock is ticking, “said Russia’s Vice President of the Security Council.

State President Mary Sandrite will answer questions from kyiv at 8pm, TF1 has now announced, noting the outlines and lessons covered during this interview. This interview is being given by the President three days before the second round of the Assembly elections.