Brussels, Meloni-Macron controversy. The premier: “The invitation to Zelensky is inappropriate”. The French president: “It was our role”
The arrival of the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky in Brussels, al summit of EU heads of state and government, has raised quite a few controversies. It all started with the initiative of the French president Emmanuel Macronwhich last night February 8 organized a meeting in Paris involving the Ukrainian leader and the German chancellor Olaf Scholz. Ma non the president of the Council Giorgia Meloniwho commented: “It was inappropriate invite Zelensky to Paris. Our strength must be unity”.
Macron’s reply was not long in coming: “I wanted to receive the Ukrainian president because the Germania and the France have and particular role we have been carrying out a process on this issue for eight years”. And again: “It belongs to the president Zelensky evaluate the formats you choose; what matters is being effective, to have a strategy for lasting peace, which respects the rights and borders of Ukraine and which allows for the construction of a security framework for Europe. This is the only goal we have to pursue.”
The Ukrainian leader himself commented: “It was a very important meeting, I consider it positive. Concrete decisions have been made which I do not intend to announce publicly”. And he added: “We will work to strengthen our offensive capabilities and as regards tanks and artillery”.
Brussels, bilaterals skip: European leaders meet Zelensky in groups
The Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni will meet Volodymyr Zelensky not in bilateral, ma in the context of dating a groups between i leader and the Ukrainian presidenttogether with the Spaniard Pedro Sanchez, the Pole Mateusz Morawiecki, the Dutchman Mark Rutte, the Swede Ulf Kristersson and the Romanian president Klaus Johannis. According to EU sources, the Council has planned to proceed in this way for reasons of time: excluding Emmanuel Macron and Olaf Scholz who have already spoken directly with Zelensky last night at the Elysée, 25 other leaders remain. If everyone had talked to Zelensky, it would have taken hours and hours, which the Ukrainian president does not have.
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