War in Ukraine: Macron “condemned the intensification of Russian strikes” in an address to Zelensky

French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the “increasing Russian strikes” on Ukraine and the ongoing Russian offensive in the border region of Kharkov during a telephone call on Tuesday with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky.

“The head of state strongly condemned the intensification of Russian attacks on Ukraine, in particular on its energy infrastructure, as well as the current offensive,” Eliseisky points out.

On Friday, Russia launched a surprise offensive on the Kharkov region, whose capital of the same name, Ukraine’s second city, is located near the common border. The Russian army on Tuesday assured it had penetrated “deeply into Ukraine’s defenses” and said it had captured a new village in the northeastern region.

France is ‘determined’ to ‘provide all necessary support’

Emmanuel Macron “reaffirmed France’s determination to provide all the necessary support in the long term and with all its partners to defeat Russia’s war of aggression.” He detailed “supplies (in French, editor’s note) in the coming days and weeks in support of the Ukrainian military effort,” the Elysee Palace added, without further detail.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken promised during a surprise visit to Kyiv on Tuesday during a meeting with the Ukrainian president that American aid, long awaited for months, was “on the way” and “will arrive.”

It took months for the United States, amid internal divisions between Republicans and Democrats, to release some $61 billion in aid promised by the White House, so much so that the Ukrainian army faced weapons shortages when Russia returned to attack. autumn and winter 2023-2024.

The French President finally reaffirmed “the interests of the Olympic Truce, that Russia cease current operations and that all useful diplomatic initiatives be taken to begin negotiations in accordance with international law and the legitimate interests of Ukraine.”