‘We Have Done Everything to Help It’ – Macron Comments on the Ukrainian Counteroffensive

On July 12, French President Emmanuel Macron stated at a press conference with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Polish President Andrzej Duda that Western countries are stepping up military aid to Ukraine to help the Ukrainian Armed Forces counterattack - reports Reuters.

The Summit of the so-called Weimar Triangle, made up of the leaders of France, Germany and Poland, met in Paris to discuss assistance to Ukraine and to show unity between “old” and “new” European Union nations’ support for the now active summer offensive.

“We have done everything to help it.” said Macron.

The French president said that the assistance would continue in the coming weeks.

“We have intensified the delivery of ammunition, weapons, and armed vehicles... We’ll continue in the coming days and weeks,” said Macron.

Asked if Ukraine should be given security guarantees at the NATO summit in July, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said: “It’s clear we need this and we need it in a very concrete way.”

Macron also said that he had recently spoken with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who confirmed the launch of the counteroffensive.

Earlier, Macron stated that Ukraine’s counteroffensive had been going on for several days and should lead to conditions that would allow Kyiv to start negotiations [with Russia] in the most favorable way.

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Zelensky said he had met Burns on multiple occasions throughout the war, but their meetings had been undisclosed.

In early June, there were reports of Ukrainian troops going on the offensive. The Ukrainian side did not officially announce the offensive. The Ministry of Defense (MoD) of Ukraine has previously stated that a counteroffensive would not be announced publicly.

On June 10, President Zelensky commented on the reports of the offensive. “Certain defensive and counteroffensive actions are underway in Ukraine, at what stage – I will not say in detail,” he said.

The Ukrainian MoD has officially confirmed the liberation of at least two settlements in the Donetsk region.