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Summit meeting with Selenskyj, Scholz and Macron

First London, then Paris – and now Thursday at the EU summit in Brussels: With visits to three European centers of power, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj is asking his Western allies for further military help to defend against the Russian invasion – especially fighter jets. At a meeting with Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Wednesday night, Selenskyj said: “These are weapons that are needed for peace. The war that Russia has started must be stopped.” Scholz promised him support as long as necessary, Macron “support until victory”. Selenskyj had previously advertised fighter jets in Britain.

“The fact remains: Russia must not win this war,” the chancellor stressed. Moreover, before the EU summit in Brussels on Thursday, where Zelenskyj is expected as a guest, he assured: “Ukraine is part of the European family.” Neither he nor Macron responded to the demands for fighter jets in their short statements before the start of the rally at the Elysée Palace.

Zelenskyj urges fighter jets in London

Zelenskyj had previously said in London that his country’s army needed fighter jets in particular to win the defensive battle against Russia. In Paris, he then addressed Macron and Scholz in personal words: “Emmanuel, the sooner our pilots receive modern aircraft, and Olaf, the stronger our tank coalition becomes, the sooner this aggression of Russia will come to an end. And we will bring back a secure peace to Europe.”

Ukraine was declared a candidate for accession by the EU last year – shortly after Scholz and Macron visited Kiev together. The meeting in Paris was now the second face-to-face meeting of the three politicians since the Russian invasion began nearly a year ago. For Selenskyj, the visit to the European capitals was only the second trip abroad during the war – the first took him to Poland and the US late last year.

This time he met King Charles III in London alongside Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. and gave a speech to parliament. Selenskyj thanked the British for their continued support after the Russian invasion and at the same time expressed the hope that fighter jets would soon be delivered after the recently promised main battle tanks. The British government promised an investigation, but spoke of a long-term solution. After all, the British Challenger 2 main battle tanks will be deployed in Ukraine as early as March, Prime Minister Sunak announced.

Scholz warns against outbidding competition

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, meanwhile, again warned against a bidding competition on arms supplies under the motto: “Battle tanks, submarines, aircraft – who wants more?” Germany is not participating, the SPD politician emphasized in the Bundestag on Wednesday, before leaving for the tripartite meeting at the Élysée Palace in Paris.

Poland, among others, had recently urged NATO partners to approve delivery of fighter jets after main battle tanks. Scholz had expressed skepticism about this. Germany has so far promised to supply 14 Leopard 2 tanks and has allowed the arms industry to export up to 178 of the older Leopard 1 model.

Pistorius calls on European countries to join the tank deliveries

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius called on other European partners to join the German-Polish project to supply Ukraine with Leopard 2 tanks. To that end, he will invite Polish and Ukrainian defense ministers to a meeting next week, he said in Warsaw on Wednesday.

NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg also called on the Allies to supply Ukraine with more weapons during a visit to Washington. “Unfortunately, we see no signs that Russia is preparing for peace. On the contrary, Moscow is preparing for new military offensives,” he said.

EU summit in Brussels

Zelenskyj will be a guest at an EU summit of heads of state and government in Brussels. He will also give a speech at the European Parliament. The exact procedure is kept secret for security reasons. Therefore, the visit was not officially confirmed until the very end.

The Ukrainian president is expected to thank Brussels for its support in the war against Russia, but at the same time calls for more momentum in further arms deliveries and his country’s path to the EU. Kiev wants to start negotiations on EU accession this year – but the 27 member states must decide unanimously.

The summit will also discuss the EU’s response to hundreds of billions in subsidies for green industrial projects in countries such as the US, as well as the growing number of unwanted migrants. There is hardly an issue where EU states are as at odds as with common asylum and migration policies – and now a new dispute is looming.

The number of asylum applications has increased by almost 50 percent in 2022 to 924,000 compared to the previous year. A number of countries are overwhelmed. The main bone of contention at the summit is likely to be whether fences or walls along the EU’s external borders should be funded from the EU budget. Countries such as Austria, Greece and Hungary insist on this. Germany, on the other hand, wants to avoid the impression of too much isolation and rejects this. The European Commission is not yet ready for this either.

In principle, the main objective of the summit will be to prevent unwanted migration to the EU in advance or to make it less attractive, for example by stepping up the fight against people smugglers and speeding up deportations. According to the draft summit statement, pressure on countries of origin and transit should also be increased. (sda/dpa)