Ukraine: Volodymyr Zelensky in Berlin and Paris to sign security pacts
The Ukrainian president is on a diplomatic tour this Friday. Volodymyr Zelensky is in Berlin this Friday morning, before reaching Paris late in the afternoon. Objective, to strengthen the support of European countries at a time when its army is struggling to contain Russia's assaults. In Paris as in Berlin, the Ukrainian president must sign security pacts.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Berlin on Friday February 16, 2024, where he is due to sign a security pact. He was welcomed by Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Same approach at the end of the day in Paris, with President Macron REUTERS - FABRIZIO BENSCH
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France, like Germany, want to show Ukraine that they are on its side against Russia with the signing of these security agreements which were a
promise made in Vilnius last July
: Ukraine
had
not not then obtained a timetable for its accession to NATO, but in exchange the G7 countries had committed to providing it with long-term military support, through these security agreements. For the moment, only the United Kingdom had kept its promise: it was last January during Rishi Sunak's visit to Kiev.
Read alsoLondon and kyiv announce “historic” security agreement
The Ukrainian president comes to seek military aid at a time when his country is struggling against Russia. The
battle of Avdiïvka
, which is currently raging, exceeds in harshness the battles of Bakhmout, testimonies report. And especially at the moment American aid seems to be faltering…
Read alsoWar in Ukraine: the new army commander considers the situation “extremely complex”
Remember that in Washington, American aid has been blocked in Congress since the end of December 2023 by the
Republicans in the House of Representatives
, under the influence of Donald Trump. Volodymyr Zelensky must therefore rely more than ever on his European allies, and already undoubtedly anticipate a possible return of Donald Trump to the White House.
What will happen if the United States gives up helping Ukraine in the face of Russia? The Ukrainian president must undoubtedly already be thinking about this disaster scenario. Because since the start of the war, the United States has been Ukraine's main military and financial support.
Europe must do more to compensate for American failure according to the Kiel Institute
According to the Kiel Institute, which keeps accounts of Western aid to Ukraine, in the event of American failure, Europe will have to double its military aid to compensate. “
It
is highly uncertain whether the United States will send additional military aid in 2024
,” the institute estimated this Friday. According to its data, as of January 15, the United States sent 42.2 billion euros in military aid to Ukraine between February 2022 and December 2023, or around 2 billion per month. The European Union, for its part, has promised 49.7 billion euros in military aid since the start of the war, but only 35.2 billion euros have so far been allocated to weapons and equipment. accurate.
For Europe, "
it's a challenge, but ultimately it's a question of political will,"
adds Trebesch, who heads the Kiel Institute team monitoring aid to Ukraine. .
European Union countries are among the richest in the world and, to date, they have not spent even 1% of their 2021 GDP to support Ukraine
.”
(and with AFP)
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