War in Ukraine
Volodymyr Zelensky thanked his supporters in Rome and later in Berlin
Ukraine’s president is meeting his European friends this weekend. On Saturday he met with Giorgia Meloni, Sergio Mattarella and Pope Francis. On Sunday, he will speak with Olaf Scholes.
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“I came to talk about our cooperation and thank you once again for your help,” Volodymyr Zelensky told Georgia Meloni.
AFP
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, eager to retain his support, met Italian leaders and Pope Francis in Rome on Saturday before visiting Berlin on Sunday. The 86-year-old Pope, who already welcomed Volodymyr Zelensky to the Vatican in February 2020, has repeatedly called for peace in Ukraine, and again this Saturday, as he stressed that the war has brought untold suffering and death.
“I didn’t come to complain, I came to talk about our cooperation, for the good of our country, to thank you once again for your help, because we want peace,” Ukraine’s president told Georgia Melony. “Italy has done an important thing by strengthening its energy independence from Russia. It deprives the terrorist state of the opportunity to put pressure on you,” said the Ukrainian president, who also met with President Sergio Mattarella, his first trip to Italy since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. .
“Italy will continue to pledge its full and complete support to facilitate the gradual integration of Kyiv with the European Union. We are ready to support the further intensification of partnership with NATO,” affirmed the President of the Italian Council.
On Sunday, talks with the German chancellor and president
After Italy, Volodymyr Zelensky will continue a trip to Germany on Sunday, where he will specifically meet the leaders of Europe’s largest economy, a government source in Berlin said. The Ukrainian head of state is expected to meet President Olaf Scholz and President Frank-Walter Steinmeier in particular.
The German government has announced a €2.7 billion supply of new weapons to Kyiv, including tanks, armored vehicles, drones and anti-aircraft defense systems. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius explained: “We all want a quick end to this brutal war that Russia is waging against the Ukrainian people. That is why Germany will provide all the help it can as long as it is needed.”
The aid “directly shows that Russia has something to lose,” Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podoliak hailed on Twitter, welcoming the “demonstration” of support from Western allies in Kiev after nearly 15 months of war.
(AFP)
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