France and Germany reaffirm they will support Ukraine “for as long” as necessary
The new head of French diplomacy, Stéphane Séjourné, and his German counterpart, Annalena Baerbock, reaffirmed on Sunday their countries’ desire to support Ukraine ” as long as “ as necessary in the face of Russia’s offensive.
“We are in full agreement” to say “that we must support the Ukrainians for as long as necessary”declared Mr. Séjourné to the press during his first visit as French foreign minister to Berlin. “Which means that we must organize elements of initiatives at European level that are coordinated” on “the defense of our values and our interests”added the minister, who had gone to kyiv the day before.
The head of German diplomacy echoed him by saying that we should stay “side with Ukraine for as long as necessary, until Russia has withdrawn” of Ukrainian territory. Russian President Vladimir “Putin, don’t stop” in this war, “he doesn’t want to stop”said M.me Baerbock.
This position by the two ministers comes at a time when kyiv is worried about seeing its European and American allies increasingly hesitant to grant it more aid to combat the Russian invasion. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has tried in recent weeks to remobilize his allies. “Sometimes the hesitation of our partners regarding financial and military assistance to Ukraine only increases Russia’s courage and strength”he said on January 10 in Vilnius.