liveLIVE. War in Ukraine: Zelensky “accepted an invitation” to the G7

The essential :

2:43 p.m. – Volodymyr Zelensky should participate in the next G7

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has “accepted an invitation” from Olaf Scholz to attend the next G7 summit in Bavaria at the end of June, the German Chancellor said. “Thank you Mr. Zelensky for accepting my invitation to participate in the G7 summit”, which will be held from June 26 to 28 in the castle complex of Elmau, wrote on Twitter Olaf Scholz, without specifying whether Volodymyr Zelensky, who has not left Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasion on February 24, would travel to Bavaria or intervene by videoconference.

2:29 p.m. – Russian gas deliveries down in Europe

Several groups across Europe announced Thursday a drop in deliveries of Russian gas, starting with the French energy group Engie. “We are indeed seeing a reduction in deliveries and we are monitoring this situation carefully, which has no impact on the supply of our customers,” a spokesperson said. In Italy, the Eni group has assured that Gazprom, the Russian supplier, will deliver only 65% ​​of the requested gas and in Austria, the OMV group has also announced that it will receive less gas from Gazprom.

2:10 p.m. – Emmanuel Macron shows the devastation in Irpin

Emmanuel Macron went to Irpin where he saw “the devastated city and the stigmata of barbarism”. He shows images of a building destroyed by bombardment on Twitter.

1:53 p.m. – “Absurd and senseless”: the reaction of the Orthodox Church following the British sanctions

The sanctions adopted Thursday by the United Kingdom against the Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Kirill in response to the Russian offensive against Ukraine are “absurd” and “insane”, replied the Russian Church on Thursday. Its spokesman, Vladimir Legoïda, denounces: “Attempts to intimidate the Patriarch of the Russian Church or to force him to abandon his views are hopeless.”

1:46 p.m. – Dmitry Medvedev mocks European leaders’ visit to Kyiv

On Twitter, the former Russian president and current vice-president of the Russian Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev, denounces the “zero usefulness” of the visit of the German, French and Italian leaders to Ukraine. “European lovers of frogs, liver sausages and spaghetti love to visit kyiv. With zero use. They promised EU membership and old howitzers to Ukraine and went home by train, like 100 years ago. All is well. But this will not bring Ukraine closer to peace. The clock is ticking.”

1:25 p.m. – Emmanuel Macron on TF1 news

President Emmanuel Macron, in kyiv on Thursday with the leaders of Germany and Italy, will be interviewed from the Ukrainian capital during TF1’s 8 p.m. news, the channel announced.

12:50 p.m. – Macron, Scholz and Draghi received by Volodymyr Zelesnsky

The four European leaders Emmanuel Macron, Olaf Scholz, Mario Draghi and Klaus Iohannis have just been welcomed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in kyiv, according to images broadcast slightly delayed.

12:36 p.m. – “We will rebuild everything”, assures Mario Draghi to Irpin

“We will rebuild everything,” Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi assured Thursday after a visit to Irpin, one of the suburbs of kyiv devastated in the first weeks of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The Russians “destroyed kindergartens, playgrounds. Everything will be rebuilt,” Draghi told the press, after strolling through the destroyed streets of Irpin alongside Frenchman Emmanuel Macron, German Olaf Scholz and Romanian Klaus Iohannis.

12:44 p.m. – The program for the rest of the visit

According to the official program, Emmanuel Macron, Mario Draghi, Olaf Scholz and Klaus Iohannis are currently received by President Zelensky. From 1 p.m. to 2:45 p.m., the four Western leaders are due to meet with the Ukrainian head of state.

12:42 p.m. – UK sanctions Patriarch Kirill

The UK today sanctioned Patriarch Kirill, head of the Russian Orthodox Church, in a new round of retaliatory measures in response to the invasion of Ukraine. The 75-year-old religious leader, who the EU recently dropped from blacklisting, “is being sanctioned for supporting Putin’s war,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.

12:33 p.m. – The issue of Ukraine’s accession to the European Union should be addressed

The question of Ukraine’s accession to the EU should be at the heart of the discussions. Volodymyr Zelensky insists that his country, by defending “the values” of Europe in the face of Russian aggression, has won the right to join the European bloc, which the EU refused to consider before the start of the Russian invasion . The Twenty-Seven must decide, during a summit on June 23-24, whether they will initially grant Ukraine the official status of candidate for membership, the start of a negotiation process which may last years. The European Commission is due to make its recommendation known on Friday.

On Wednesday, from Romania, the French president had stressed the need to send “clear political signals” to the Ukrainians in an “unprecedented geopolitical situation”. Among the 27, the countries of Eastern Europe support this candidacy, but others such as Denmark or the Netherlands have expressed reservations. Any decision requires unanimity. Ukraine could obtain candidate status with conditions or a date for the opening of negotiations, according to some experts.

12:30 p.m. – A press conference expected at 2 p.m. in kyiv

President Emmanuel Macron and his two counterparts must now meet Ukrainian head of state Volodymyr Zelensky. According to several media, a joint press conference is scheduled for 2 p.m. French time.

12:26 p.m. – The Kremlin considers Western arms deliveries “futile”

The Kremlin on Thursday judged “futile” Western arms deliveries to Ukraine, when the French president, the German chancellor and the Italian prime minister are in kyiv. “We would like to hope that the leaders of these three countries (…) are not going to focus only on supporting Ukraine and plans to continue to inundate it with weapons. It is completely futile and will only do ‘inflict more harm on this country,’ Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.