Ukraine enters its third year of war this Saturday, February 24, and political leaders are coming to kyiv to show their solidarity with the power in place.
3 mins
The President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, the first to arrive this Saturday in Kiev, praised “the extraordinary resistance of the Ukrainian people” on Saturday upon her arrival in Kiev, two years to the day after the start of the large-scale invasion scale of Ukraine by Russia. “In kyiv to mark the anniversary of the second year of Russia’s war against Ukraine. And to celebrate the extraordinary resistance of the Ukrainian people,” von der Leyen said on social media. More than ever, we strongly support Ukraine. Financially, economically, militarily, morally. Until the country is finally free “.
In Kyiv to mark the anniversary of the 2nd year of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
And to celebrate the extraordinary resistance of the Ukrainian people.
More than ever, we stand firmly by Ukraine.
Financially, economically, militarily, morally.
Until the country is finally free. pic.twitter.com/ZLWMbOxVFh
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) February 24, 2024
with our special correspondents and our guests: Nicolas Tenzer, researcher and member of the Center for European Policy Analysis, and Oleksyi Goncharenko, MP from Odessa.
Two years of war in Ukraine: listen or re-listen to our special edition [8h10-9h]
Surprise visit from Giorgia Meloni
Another visit, those of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni who will chair in the afternoon, in the presence of Volodymyr Zelensky, a G7 virtual meeting to discuss new sanctions against Moscow. According to the Italian agency AGI, Ms. Meloni and Mr. Zelensky will open the meeting at 4:00 p.m. GMT at St. Sophia Cathedral in central Kiev. This meeting is the first of the heads of state and government of the G7 member countries (United States, Japan, Germany, France, United Kingdom, Italy, Canada) under Italian presidency. She was summoned “ on the second anniversary of Russian aggression against Ukraine “, at a time when kyiv recognizes that it is experiencing a situation ” extremely difficult » for its forces, deprived of ammunition and American aid, the Italian government said on Tuesday in its announcement. At the end of the meeting, which is expected to last an hour and a half, a joint statement on Ukraine is expected to be adopted, according to Italian diplomatic sources.
THE G7 decided in July 2023 to sign bilateral security contracts with Ukraine. After London in January, kyiv signed this type of agreement with Germany and France, and 25 other states joined this initiative, such as Poland. According to the AGI agency, Giorgia Meloni and Volodymyr Zelensky plan to sign such an agreement on Saturday at the headquarters of the Ukrainian presidency. Concretely, these security agreements may concern the granting of military equipment, interoperable with that of NATO, the training of Ukrainian forces and the strengthening of Ukraine’s defense industry.
“ Don’t lose hope » assures Jens Stoltenberg
On the military side, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg urged Ukraine and its allies on Saturday to “ don’t lose hope “, on the second anniversary of the invasion of the country launched by Russian President Vladimir Putin. “ The situation on the battlefield remains extremely difficult. President Putin’s goal of dominating Ukraine has not changed, there is no indication that he is preparing for peace “, declared the Secretary General of the Alliance in a recorded message. “ But we must not lose hope. Ukraine has repeatedly demonstrated its remarkable capabilities and fierce determination”, he insisted in this video broadcast on the NATO website. Earlier this morning, the commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian armies assured that Ukraine would triumph over the “ darkness » Russian. “ I am convinced that our victory lies in unity. And it undoubtedly will be. Because light always triumphs over darkness! “, declared the general Oleksandr Syrsky on Telegram.
Assurances intended to comfort the Ukrainian population who are concerned about the question of mobilization. A bill is currently being discussed in Parliament. It will be examined at second reading at the beginning of March. The question of recruiting new forces also concerns seriously injured soldiers, as reported by our special envoys. Anastasia Becchio And Boris Vicithwho went to a rehabilitation center for war disabled people in Lviv in western Ukraine.
From the hospital where he learns to walk on two prostheses, Viktor continues to get news from his unit on the Zaporizhia front. The men are tired, they need to replenish their ranks, he said, regretting that too many civilians are reluctant to go and fight. “People should understand what the situation is. I hear them shout: I am not made for war, I will be of no use… but who can say that he was born to fight? No one is born with an automatic rifle in their hands. All this can be learned. I, for example, had not been in the army, but I volunteered in the infantry.” Oleksij, an arm amputee, also keeps in touch with his brigade. Between the dead and the wounded, only a third of the original force remains. The new law on mobilization is necessary, he says. “If no one joins the army, who will protect us? Among those who were volunteers, many have already left us in 2022, in 2023. These are the ones who understood what awaits us. But the others? What do they hope for? Who will defend those who are hiding? If they don’t care who they have at the head of their state, their children will want to know why their parents didn’t give them freedom? Oleksij, whose son is fighting in Donbass, does not rule out returning to the ranks of the army if his physical condition allows it.
02 UKRAINE _Coated Wounded soldiers and demobilization – 5h