Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that the number of Ukrainian soldiers killed in the war with Russia reached 31,000 (Anatolia Agency)

About 20 heads of state and government are meeting - today, Monday - in Paris at the initiative of French President Emmanuel Macron to reaffirm their support for Ukraine, which faces a critical situation in the face of Moscow and whose fate depends on Western aid.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addresses the summit participants via video, and yesterday, Sunday, he stressed the importance of allies’ support for his country in these difficult circumstances.

He pointed out that Ukraine's victory or defeat depends on its allies in the West.

Leaders from the European Union, including German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Polish President Andrzej Duda, are expected to attend, along with the prime ministers of about 15 EU countries.

On Saturday, Macron warned his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, that France's support for Ukraine would not "weaken," calling on the European Union to take collective action against Russia.

Delivery of aid to Ukraine

This meeting comes in light of the continued faltering of US aid due to Congressional opposition, which raises great concern in the European Union. The meeting also discusses the security and economic challenges facing Ukraine, including the increasing electronic and information attacks by Russia.

Representatives of the United States and Canada, in addition to British Foreign Secretary David Cameron, are scheduled to participate in the meeting.

The meeting aims, according to the Elysee, to rethink and comprehensively analyze all available means to support Ukraine in an effective manner, at a time when Kiev faces a severe shortage of weapons and ammunition to confront the Russian challenge.

The French presidency stressed the importance of refuting the impression that things are heading towards collapse, while affirming its determination to thwart any escalation of Russian aggression, indicating that there will be no victory for Russia in Ukraine.

It is noteworthy that the European Union has provided military aid worth 28 billion euros to Ukraine since the beginning of the war, and several countries have signed bilateral security agreements with Kiev, but the delivery of missiles and weapons is still delayed.

Participants in the meeting will discuss ways to "improve performance and implement plans more effectively," while Kiev announced on Sunday that half of Western weapons intended for delivery have been delayed.

According to statements from the French presidency, everyone is working hard to ensure the delivery of weapons.

However, some Europeans, especially in Paris and Berlin, accuse each other of not doing what is required.

Several countries, including France, Germany and Italy, have signed bilateral security agreements with Kiev in recent weeks, but the European Union is facing difficulties in implementing its obligations, especially with regard to the delivery of missiles.

At the Atlantic Council conference on Friday, former US diplomat Debra Kagan indicated that the Europeans have the potential to achieve important achievements.

She added, "Ukraine already has F-16 fighter jets, and it has Taurus missiles from Germany, but we witnessed a completely different context today."

She warned that hesitation increases the severity of the destruction and loss of life.

These developments come at a time when Congress is still closing the doors to US aid worth $60 billion, and Western allies are hesitant to agree to disburse new funds to provide more weapons and ammunition to Ukraine.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denis Shmygal said on Sunday that Ukraine is still confident that the United States will not abandon it in the face of Russia.

Ukraine announces its military losses

Zelensky announced during a press conference in Kiev yesterday, Sunday, that the number of Ukrainian soldiers killed in the war with Russia reached 31,000, in a rare official statement regarding the military losses that his country incurred during the war that has been ongoing for two years.

He stressed that the counter-attack plans carried out by his forces last summer were leaked to Russia before they were implemented, and that the failure of these plans was a strong blow to Ukraine.

In response to a question about the possibility of defeating Ukraine, the difficulty of the expected situation and the high number of possible casualties, Zelensky indicated that this depends on the support of Kiev’s allies.

He stressed, "If we are strong and armed, we will not lose this war."

Clashes occur around Avdiivka

For its part, Russia announced yesterday, Sunday, that its forces had taken better positions near Avdiivka and Donetsk in eastern Ukraine, after Putin ordered the army to penetrate Ukrainian territory two years after the start of the all-out war.

A Ukrainian report reported clashes around Avdiivka, which Russian forces took control of last week, and other areas around which fighting has been taking place for months, but the report did not indicate any Russian gains in the Donetsk region, which is the focal point of Moscow's slow advance in eastern Ukraine.

The Russian Ministry of Defense announced that Ukrainian forces were repelled near 3 towns south of Bakhmut, a city captured by Russian forces last May, but Ukrainian forces are still active there.

The Ministry confirmed that Russian forces were stationed in better locations near Avdiivka, repelled 7 Ukrainian counterattacks in the region, and destroyed a total of 77 Ukrainian marches.

On the other hand, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces said in its evening report that Kiev forces repelled 18 attacks near Avdiivka, and repelled 5 Russian attacks near Bakhmut.

Official reports issued by Kiev also stated that Russian forces shot 7 Ukrainian prisoners of war.

Ukrainian Human Rights Commissioner Dmytro Lubiniz announced via the Telegram application on Sunday evening that the execution took place on Saturday near the city of Bakhmut, which was seized by Russia, in the Donbass region in the east of the country.

Lubiniz pointed out that there is a video showing Ukrainian soldiers “raising their hands” during their surrender, adding, “The Russians were supposed to take them prisoner, but they shot them mercilessly.”

This information has not yet been independently verified.

Lopez stressed that such an execution constitutes a war crime, and that this case must be registered as a violation of international humanitarian law.

He expressed his desire to go officially and immediately to the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Lubiniz accused the Russian armed forces of "lack of interest" in the Geneva Conventions and the customs and rules of war.

Source: Agencies