Ukraine war: Europe split clouds Macron talks with Scholz in Berlin

Conflicts 21:00 16.03.2024

Emmanuel Macron has said that France, Germany and Poland are "united" after a rift was exposed over Europe's response to Russia's war in Ukraine, Ednews represents via BBC.

The French president had warned the "security of Europe and the French is at stake" and if Russia wins Europe's credibility will be "reduced to zero".

But Germany's Olaf Scholz has been far more cautious, ruling out the deployment of the country's Taurus cruise missiles.

Ukraine faces a critical arms shortage.

The German chancellor has come under pressure to extend his government's help, because a $60bn (£47bn; €55bn) US military aid package for Ukraine has been blocked in Congress by Republicans on the right.

Germany remains Europe's biggest source of military aid for Ukraine, but Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who joined the two leaders in Berlin later, said it was now up to their three countries to "mobilise all of Europe" to provide Ukraine with help.

He denied reports of a rift at a press conference, calling them "exaggerated" and "malicious rumours".

"True solidarity with Ukraine? Less words, more ammunition," he had posted on social media earlier on Friday.

Their meeting came as a Russian missile attack on the southern Ukrainian port city of Odesa killed 20 people and left dozens more wounded, according to the regional head. Among those killed and wounded were emergency medical teams.

 

As members of Ukraine's DSNS emergency service arrived to search for casualties and put out fires, more Russian rockets reportedly landed at the scene and the DSNS released several photos of wounded colleagues.

Differences over the response to the war have deepened between Paris and Berlin in recent weeks, after the German chancellor said long-range Taurus missiles would need German soldiers on the ground in Ukraine to look after them and that was a limit that he was not prepared to cross.

President Macron has equally angered some of his European partners by suggesting that sending Western troops could not be ruled out.

In an extended live interview on French TV on Thursday night he said it was not his wish, although "all these options are possible".

Stressing that France was a force for peace, he warned that Russia was seeking to extend its power and would not stop now: "If we leave Ukraine alone, if we let Ukraine lose this war, then for sure Russia will threaten Moldova, Romania and Poland."

Ahead of Friday's meeting of the three leaders, billed as a bid to revive the so-called "Weimar Triangle", the German chancellor told Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky over the phone that the summit was of great importance to "organise as much support as possible for Ukraine".

Mr Zelensky went on social media to say he had told the German leader that Ukraine's priorities were "armoured vehicles, artillery, and air defence".

At a press conference following Friday's meeting in Berlin, Mr Tusk said he, Emmanuel Macron and Olaf Scholz "spoke with one voice, above all, about the security of our continent".

The leaders also said a "capacity coalition" to provide long-distance artillery to Ukraine would be set up, while vowing to "never prompt escalation" there.

Mr Scholz said the three countries wanted to ensure that Ukraine could defend itself against Russia's invasion.

Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg warned on Thursday that Ukrainians were "not running out of courage, they are running out of ammunition", more than two years after Russia's full-scale invasion began.

He said the shortage was one of the reasons why Russia had made recent advances on the battlefield, and he called on Nato allies to provide Ukraine with what it needed.

A Czech-led initiative to source weapons from outside Europe has already raised enough funds to buy at least 300,000 shells and Prague officials say the first deliveries will arrive by June at the latest.

Russia's military captured the eastern town of Avdiivka after months of trying in February and Ukraine's commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said on a visit to the area on Friday that Russian forces had been trying to break through Ukrainian lines "for several days in a row".

"Russian advances are supported by intense artillery fire and the active use of spotter drones and drones capable of dropping munitions."

IEPF issued a statement regarding Azerbaijani children at the UN Human Rights Council

News line

Azerbaijan increases spending on imports from Türkiye
12:24 06.05.2025
Azerbaijani Deaflympic Committee joins International Committee of Sports
12:19 06.05.2025
Prime Minister of Belarus arrives in Fuzuli
12:05 06.05.2025
Azerbaijan to join youth hockey tournament for first time
12:02 06.05.2025
Ilham Aliyev invites Belarus to participate in World Urban Forum to be held in Azerbaijan
11:59 06.05.2025
Cybersecurity conference to be held in Baku
11:56 06.05.2025
Baku to host cybersecurity conference in may
11:52 06.05.2025
Azerbaijan, Italy's Eni mull energy co-op
11:47 06.05.2025
Belarusian prime minister visits Victory Park in Baku
11:43 06.05.2025
Baku hosts discussion of Azerbaijan-Iran relations amid regional processes
11:29 06.05.2025
Deputy FM: Azerbaijan holds great importance for Iran
11:23 06.05.2025
Hungarian companies hold talks with Azerbaijani pharmaceutical manufacturers
11:21 06.05.2025
2,073 people return to Azerbaijan's Khojaly, Aghdara
11:14 06.05.2025
Azerbaijan, Türkiye hail development of cooperation in military education
11:08 06.05.2025
Have scientists solved the mystery of gold’s origin in the universe?
11:04 06.05.2025
Azerbaijani parliamentary delegation visits Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi
10:59 06.05.2025
Scientists develop super strong antibodies for new cancer treatment
10:55 06.05.2025
The Prime Minister of Belarus visited the Alley of Honor
10:42 06.05.2025
Tabriz media published an article about the Great Leader Heydar Aliyev
10:38 06.05.2025
Scientists have made great progress in the fight against tuberculosis
10:32 06.05.2025
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev received the Prime Minister of Belarus
10:25 06.05.2025
The directions and tasks of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have been determined
10:19 06.05.2025
Belarusian government: "A strategic partnership unites us with Azerbaijan"
10:15 06.05.2025
An event dedicated to the 102nd anniversary of Heydar Aliyev's birth was held in Cuba
10:09 06.05.2025
Azerbaijani and Iranian think tanks sign Memorandum of Understanding
10:04 06.05.2025
Heydar Aliyev commemorated in Egypt on his 102nd birthday anniversary
13:02 05.05.2025
Eurovision 2025 commentators from Azerbaijan revealed
12:53 05.05.2025
Imam Mosque in Baku's Amirjan to undergo reconstruction
12:52 05.05.2025
Azerbaijani delegation held discussions on agrarian insurance mechanism in Turkey
12:44 05.05.2025
"Artificial intelligence could replace some government officials"
12:32 05.05.2025
Ambassador: Peace agreement with Yerevan based on Baku's proposals
12:26 05.05.2025
Azerbaijan and Nepal mull cooperation on international platforms
12:17 05.05.2025
Belarusian Prime Minister Alexander Turchin arrives on an official visit to Azerbaijan
12:12 05.05.2025
Hungary and Azerbaijan may cooperate in transport infrastructure
12:08 05.05.2025
25 Azerbaijani wrestlers to participate in international tournament in Turkey
12:02 05.05.2025
Ramin Mammadov visited Vietnam
11:56 05.05.2025
"We expect progress in Vietnam-Azerbaijan relations"
11:47 05.05.2025
Azerbaijani Deputy Samir Sharifov meets with Syria's interim president
11:41 05.05.2025
Green energy corridor biggest project of Hungary and Azerbaijan
11:34 05.05.2025
Baku Marathon - 2025: 28,000 participants run under the slogan "Beat the wind"
11:28 05.05.2025
Hamısı