International press review

Headlines: Macron, Scholz and Draghi in kyiv, visit symbol of Europe's support for Ukraine

Audio 04:54

This Thursday, June 16, French President Emmanuel Macron (center), German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (right) and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi (left) on the train to kyiv to bring the support of the Europeans to Ukraine.

© AFP/Ludovic Marin

By: Véronique Rigolet Follow

4 mins

Advertising

This “ unprecedented

” joint visit by

the three European leaders, who arrived early Thursday morning in Kiev, made the front page of all the European press, in its online editions of course, with this photo.

"

Historical photo

" says

La Repubblica

"

of Mario Draghi, Emmanuel Macron and Olaf Scholz seated in a train compartment

 ", on their way to Kiev in the middle of the night.

"

It's the cliché that unites Ukraine to Europe

", still enthuses the Italian daily for which the message sent to Putin is in any case very clear: "

 We are united, we are on the side of the Ukrainians attacked

".

"

A trip, and it is not a coincidence

 "

explains the

Suddeutsche Zeitung

which intervenes " 

on the eve of the probable green light from the European Commission for the granting to Ukraine of the status of candidate to the European Union

" .

A week before a European summit which should be decisive, believes for its part the

Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, 

"

it is difficult to imagine that the three leaders make the trip to Kiev without giving hope of a yes to Kiev

 ", even if France has already warned that "

Ukraine's accession to the EU would probably take decades

".

Ukraine urges Europeans to speed up arms deliveries

While Ukraine is struggling and losing ground in the Donbass under the brutal push of the Russians, "

the United States yesterday showed its determination by promising a new military aid of one billion dollars 

" to the Ukraine, reports the

Washington Post,

encouraging "

European allies to also step up their arms deliveries 

".

In an interview with the daily

Bild,

Chancellor Scholz pledged this morning “

to help Ukraine as long as necessary in terms of armaments 

”.

► To read also: War in Ukraine: the evacuation of civilians far from the front continues

A promise that President Macron and Prime Minister Draghi will also renew today with President Zelensky, even if "

it is not certain that they have much to offer

", comments the

New York Times

, which stresses that Europeans are divided "

over how the war in Ukraine should end, while they have to endure the economic fallout from the conflict

".

"

Macron, Draghi and Scholz all three thus expressed the wish for a rapid conclusion of the war through peace talks with Russia, to the great displeasure of the Ukrainians

", further notes the American daily which warns against "

a victory of Putin who would have annexed a fifth of Ukrainian territory

".

That would be a signal to Beijing that the aggression is working

 ” and “ 

then we will have to fight for Taiwan ,” the

Times

concluded

China reaffirms support for Russia on ' 

sovereignty and security

'

"

Strong support from Xi Jinping for Vladimir Putin

", commented the

Financial Times

, which moreover "

on the occasion of the 69th birthday of the Chinese president

", noted the

Wall Street Journal

, a sign "

of the desire of the 2 leaders to display their personal friendship, in the midst of the Cold War with the West

".

"

In a context of global turbulence, Xi and Putin promise each other mutual support

", headlines the Chinese nationalist daily

Global Times

which, while wishing "

an appropriate settlement of the Ukrainian crisis

", castigates the action of NATO.

The Atlantic alliance which, according to her, is trying "

to infiltrate Asia to better target China and Russia

.

"

Beijing and Moscow have a shared interest in the confrontation with Washington

", comments the

Wall Street Journal

, which nevertheless underlines that China "

has for the moment refrained from coming to the aid of Russia in a significant way

", by "

respecting Western sanctions for military aid and economic support

”.

► To read also: China: Xi Jinping reaffirms his support for Vladimir Putin

Covid: the United States authorizes the vaccination of infants

While the United States fears a new big wave of Covid-19 “

with already tens of thousands of people infected every day

 ” notes the

Washington Post

, the Federal Drug Agency (FDA) has just given the green light for the vaccination "

from very young from the age of 6 months

".

The 19 million children under the age of 5 were the only group who did not yet have access to vaccines

”, underlines the

Post

which specifies that “

from next Tuesday they will be able to be vaccinated with Moderna or Pfizer

”, specially dosed for them.

It now remains "

to convince the parents, many of whom think that it is not worth

“, notes the

New York Times,

while the risks of covid infection are lower in children

”.

© RFI

Newsletter

Receive all the international news directly in your mailbox

I subscribe

Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application

google-play-badge_EN

  • Ukraine

  • Volodymyr Zelensky

  • Emmanuel Macron

  • France

  • Olaf Scholz

  • Germany

  • Mario Draghi

  • Italy

  • European Union

  • United States

  • Russia

  • Vladimir Poutine

  • China

  • Xi Jinping

  • Coronavirus

  • Newspaper