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Polish, French, German leaders to discuss European security in Paris

11.06.2023 16:30
Poland’s President Andrzej Duda will meet with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Paris on Monday to discuss European security amid Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine, officials have said.
Polish President Andrzej Duda
Polish President Andrzej DudaPhoto: PAP/Radek Pietruszka

The talks between the three leaders are expected to focus on military and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, including emergency aid after the destruction of the Kakhovka dam in the country's southern Kherson regionaccording to Polish presidential aide Marcin Przydacz.

Duda, Macron and Scholz will also discuss Ukraine's anticipated counteroffensive against Russia and efforts to bolster the security of the eastern flank of NATO, Przydacz told reporters ahead of the meeting.

"All three countries agree that it is necessary to continue supporting Ukraine," he said.

Other topics up for discussion include NATO's upcoming summit in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius, according to the Polish President's Office.

Poland, France and Germany together form what is known as the Weimar Triangle, a group they set up in the early 1990s.

'Unwavering solidarity with Ukraine'

In a joint statement in February, Duda, Macron and Scholz reaffirmed their condemnation of "Russia’s unprovoked and brutal war of aggression against Ukraine" and expressed "their unwavering solidarity with Ukraine and their unconditional support for Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders and its inherent right of self–defence against the Russian aggression."

The three leaders also pledged that their countries would "continue to stand firmly with Ukraine and its people for as long as it takes” and urged Russia “to unconditionally cease hostilities and withdraw its forces from the whole territory of Ukraine.”

Counteroffensive operations 'taking place in Ukraine': Zelensky

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told reporters on Saturday that "counteroffensive and defensive actions" were "taking place in Ukraine," but declined to provide details, according to the Reuters news agency.

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW), a US think tank, reported at the weekend that Ukraine's military was conducting counteroffensive operations against Russia "in at least four areas of the front."

Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, launching the largest military campaign in Europe since World War II.

Sunday is day 473 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.

(gs)

Source: IAR, PAP, www.prezydent.pl