Macron, Scholz, and Draghi Face Zelenskyy in Kyiv
The message is that the West supports Ukraine in defeating Russia
Day 113 (16 June)
Accounts of what has happened in filtration camps have been shared by victims who have survived. They have confirmed they were deported to Russia, were beaten, interrogated, had their phones confiscated and their social media accounts and messages were scrutinised. Anyone who supported Ukraine was accused of supporting a Nazi government and were beaten, imprisoned or detained. These are the accounts from those who were deported from Kherson when they tried to leave. They were also forced to denounce the Ukrainian government if they wished to live, and the Russians considered this re-education.
Slovakia is supplying a further 5 helicopters and multiple rocket launchers to Ukraine. Germany should be taking note of the actions of a smaller and poorer country.
Babies born in Russian occupied areas such as Kherson, will be given Russian citizenship it is claimed, or offered it. In addition, the Russians are moving their soldiers and their families into homes that have been abandoned in a bid to fully occupy the city, and to ensure that the actual owners cannot return. In effect, they are stealing land and property from Ukrainians.
Sanctions have been imposed against Patriarch Kirill, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church who is Putin’s old friend.
The Russians claim to have reopened the humanitarian corridors in Severdontsk after the failed attempt yesterday.
The grain blockade continues and Turkey has now offered to host a meeting with all four groups (UN, Ukraine, Turkey and Russia) to agree on how the Ukrainian freighters can leave the port safely. If they had held a meeting with all four at the start rather then Turkey and Russia, then perhaps things might have moved quicker. Russia doesn’t care as it is stealing grain and selling it, so the food shortage won’t affect them as much as it harming the rest of the world
The funeral of Roman Ratushny was held today. He was a young 24 year old activist who fought for the freedom of Ukraine. He should not be forgotten for what he sacrificed his life for.
A Russian spy has tried to infiltrate the ICC using a false Brazilian identity to travel to the Netherlands. The spy was supposed to have begun an internship at the ICC and would have had access to the building and the internal systems, This was a deep cover spy with a back story that the Dutch intelligence uncovered. The spy used the identity of a Brazilian citizen named Viktor Muller Ferreira, born on 4 April 1989, when in fact his real name is Sergey Vladimirovich Cherkasov, born 11 September 1985. He had erased all traces of his connections with Russia with the cover identity.
The news of the day is that Macron, Scholz, and Draghi took an overnight train from Poland to Kyiv and met with Zelenskyy, and also visited Irpin. The Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, arrived before the other three. The media were there in full force as was an air raid siren when they arrived.
Macron and Scholz have been unable to backtrack from their comments on appeasement, and this has affected them domestically. They need to appease the electorate of they get voted out and lose power.
A statement was made that all four countries (France, Germany, Italy and Romania) support fast-tracked EU candidate status for Ukraine and Moldova. Why couldn’t France and Germany simply had said that at the beginning? The joint statemen also stated that all the alleged war crimes must be investigated (already happening, so their words mean little to be honest as they jump on the bandwagon). Italy says they will help rebuild Ukraine, France says they will support Ukraine as long as the war continues, and Germany said more or less the same and promised more weapons but gave no timeframe as to when that wpuld happen.
This was a far cry from what Macron was saying a few weeks ago when he said it might take decades for Ukraine to join the EU, and proposed a separate group that Ukraine could join rather than the EU. Macron also said France would send more caesars (howitzers), and would not ask Ukraine to cede any land. Basically, Macron has done a u-turn on what he proposed a few weeks ago after his ‘don’t humiliate Russia’ statement led to his humiliation. The u-turn is no doubt political as he faces the National Assembly elections in a few days, where he must gain 289 seats for a majority, otherwise he must consider cohabitation, where the power must be shared.
Domestically, both Macron and Scholz have suffered as their citizens have criticized their words and actions, and the visit was a good PR move to win back the electorate. Whether people believed them is another matter, but the photo opportunity was beneficial to Macron, Scholz and Draghi in particular. All have been mocked as appeasers, although Italy did support Ukraine’s application for EU membership already.
This sends a message to Russia that Europe and the West are united in supporting Ukraine against their special military operation. That is a key message, and I think words have been had with Macron, and Scholz in particular. Macron has insisted that the lines of communications must be kept open (as in he wants to be the mediator), and no one has ever disputed that as it is Russia who don’t wish to discuss matters because they don’t believe there is anything to discuss. They blame it all on Nazi Ukraine, and the food shortage is their fault even though the Russian ships are blocking the Black Sea!
Will this be enough to save Macron and Scholz? It might do for now, but people won’t forget how they sat on the fence and suggested appeasement. What made the French and Germans change their positions? Perhaps the thought of being unemployed didn’t appeal, or to be isolated by the rest of Europe and the world?
It's great to think that Europe and the West support the Ukraine and not pressuring for appeasement. I appreciate that you show us how Putin twists the truth. I liked that Zelensky didn't wear a suit when he met with Scholz, Macron and Draghi; it should have sent them a clear message! If Macron is hoping to cement a good look in the history books by mediating, he will need to go beyond appeasement.
Macron's turnaround is undoubtedly based on his future political need; the photo which I saw of him and President Zelensky indicated a cumbersome embarrassing embrace. Many thanks again to E-L for this timely informative update.