Leaders Of France, Italy And Germany Visit Kyiv

Topline

The leaders of France, Germany and Italy arrived in Kyiv on Thursday, a collective show of European backing amid criticism the bloc is not doing enough for Ukraine as the country struggles to fight off Russia’s invasion and pushes for EU membership.

Key Facts

French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi arrived in Kyiv on Thursday, their first visit to the Ukrainian capital since Russia attacked in February.

The three leaders traveled together in an overnight train from Poland and were joined in Ukraine by Romanian President Klaus Iohannis.

Leaving the train in Kyiv, Macron said the visit is an “important moment” and marks “a message of European unity” toward Ukrainians.

The trio are expected to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and visit sites of Russian attacks, including Irpin, a Kyiv suburb where civilians were allegedly tortured and killed after weeks of Russian occupation.

Key Background

Germany, France and Italy are all major economic powers—the three largest in the European Union and among the wealthiest in the world—and possess sizable political clout in their own right and as key members of the European Union. While many world leaders—including the U.K.’s Boris Johnson, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Canada’s Justin Trudeau and from Poland, Slovenia and the Czech Republic—have visited Ukraine during the war, the visit from Macron, Draghi and Scholz carries significant symbolic weight and will be watched closely as a barometer of European support. Zelensky and other Ukrainian officials have criticized the European heavyweights—notably France and Germany—for their continued engagement with Russia, apparently slow supply of much-needed weapons and questioned their commitment to economic sanctions.

What To Watch For

EU membership. Ukraine is pushing for expedited admission to the EU and the bloc’s leaders are set to discuss its candidacy at a meeting next week. Acknowledging Ukraine as an official candidate country requires unanimous assent from the bloc’s 27 members and is far from guaranteed. The steps needed to become a candidate, let alone full member, is an onerous process that can take years or even decades. Turkey and North Macedonia have been official candidates since 1999 and 2005, respectively, for example, and Bosnia and Hersegovina and Kosovo have both been discussing candidacy since the mid 2000s.

Crucial Quote

Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk told reporters on the train there were “two important questions” for the European leaders visiting Ukraine, according to CNN: “How to put an end to the war and how to turn a new page for Ukraine and open the way for Ukraine into the European Union.” Vereshchuk said she did not expect any “bright announcements” to come from the visit, but nonetheless described the meeting as “historical” and one that will “either pave the way to a stronger Europe or to a stronger Ukraine.”

Big Number

$1 billion. That’s how much additional military aid the U.S. announced it will be sending Ukraine on Wednesday. This includes heavy weapons and ammunition. The U.S. has now committed approximately $5.6 billion in military aid to Ukraine since Russia invaded.

Further Reading

Will Ukraine Join The EU? After Country Completes Membership Questionnaire, Here’s What Could Come Next (Forbes)

Why Ukraine’s longshot bid to join the EU is likely to enrage Putin (CNN)

Ukraine fears western support will fade as media loses interest in the war (Guardian)