Zelensky heads to France after EU honours Ukraine fight 'for Europe'

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky headed to Paris Sunday for talks with French President Emmanuel Macron, after Germany pledged unwavering support for Kyiv ahead of a widely expected counter-offensive.

The French leader's office said in a statement that the pair would discuss France's "support" in responding to "Ukraine's urgent military and humanitarian needs" during a dinner at the presidential palace. 

Macron would "reaffirm the unwavering support of France and Europe for restoring Ukraine's legitimate rights and defend its fundamental interests", the statement added.

The Paris meeting comes hours after EU leaders in Germany hailed the Ukrainian people for fighting for the bloc's freedom and values, handing this year's award for service towards European unity to the war-torn country's president.

"Ukraine incarnates everything the European idea is living for: the courage of convictions, the fight for values and freedom, the commitment to peace and unity," said EU chief Ursula von der Leyen at the Charlemagne award ceremony in the western city of Aachen.

"President Zelensky and the people of Ukraine are fighting for the values and the obligation that this prize embodies. And in doing so, they are also fighting for our own freedom and our values," she said in a message echoed by Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki. 

For Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Russia's war on its neighbour had "cemented one clear realisation: Ukraine is part of our European family".

- Germany 'a true friend' -

Zelensky received the prize while on his first trip to Germany since Russia's invasion, which came a day after meetings with Italian leaders and Pope Francis in Rome.

The weekend diplomatic tour comes ahead of an EU summit in Reykjavik and a gathering of G7 leaders in Japan.

Zelensky won extended standing ovations at the Aachen ceremony, during which EU leaders also vowed to support Ukraine along its road to joining the bloc.

Calling Germany a "true friend and reliable ally" to Ukraine as it battles to repel Russian invaders, Zelensky held separate talks with Scholz and President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

Berlin on Saturday unveiled a new military package for Kyiv worth 2.7 billion euros ($3 billion), its biggest yet for Ukraine and hailed by Zelensky as a "powerful support".

"Now is the time for us to determine the end of this war this year. This year, we can make the aggressor's defeat irreversible," said the Ukrainian leader.

Anticipating the president's arrival in Aachen, several hundred Ukraine supporters rallied holding blue balloons and wearing yellow-and-blue flags around their shoulders.

Olga Zelenska, 37, told AFP she came to show her support for her country. "We are proud," she said, when asked about the Charlemagne award for her people.

- 'As long as necessary' -

Ukrainian forces have been training troops and stockpiling Western-supplied munitions and hardware that analysts say will be key to reclaiming territory captured by Russia. 

Germany, once accused of reticence in supplying military gear to Ukraine, has become the second-biggest contributor of tanks, rockets and anti-missile systems to the country, after the United States.

Early on in the conflict, Kyiv had accused Germany of being too accommodating to Russian President Vladimir Putin, while Berlin's reliance on Russian energy had proved problematic.

But on the eve of Zelensky's visit, Berlin said it would send Ukraine more firing units and launchers for the Iris-T anti-missile system, 30 additional Leopard 1 tanks, more than 100 armoured combat vehicles and over 200 surveillance drones.

Scholz on Sunday reiterated Berlin's firm backing, telling Zelensky directly: "We will support you for as long as it is necessary."

Zelensky said he would urge Scholz to support Ukraine's bid for fighter jet deliveries, though he did not specify if he was seeking aircraft directly from Germany.

- 'Inaction' -

On the front line, Kyiv said Ukrainian forces had captured more than 10 Russian positions on the outskirts of the flashpoint town of Bakhmut.

Russia admitted that two of its military commanders had been killed in combat near the town, where fighting has been raging for days.

In a rare announcement of losses on the battlefield, Russia's defence ministry said the commander of the 4th motorised rifle brigade, Vyacheslav Makarov, and Yevgeny Brovko, deputy commander of the Army Corps for military-political work, had been killed in fighting in eastern Ukraine.

The head of Russia's private Wagner mercenary group Yevgeny Prigozhin again accused the Russian army of inaction around Bakhmut.

In a post published by his press service, Prigozhin slammed the "airborne forces" of not backing his men as the defence ministry had claimed.

"I didn't see them... I don't know where they are and who they are helping," said Prigozhin.

Elsewhere, Moscow said Russian forces had struck Western arm depots and Ukrainian troops in the western city of Ternopil and the eastern town of Petropavlivka.

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© Agence France-Presse

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