Washington - Saba:
Politico revealed that several European leaders have decided to cancel their planned visit to the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, on May 9, 2025.
This date holds great symbolism for both Russia and Ukraine, as Moscow commemorates the victory over Nazism in World War II, while Kyiv seeks to use the occasion to bolster its international standing.
1. French President Emmanuel Macron will instead head to Nancy to sign a security agreement with Poland.
2. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will attend a defense summit in Oslo instead of Kyiv.
3. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk will accompany Macron at the signing of the Franco-Polish security agreement.
4. Incoming German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has refused to attend unless all European leaders are present, indicating his preference for a unified format.
Kyiv had hoped to hold a European summit on May 9 to divert attention from Russia's massive military parade planned for Moscow to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory over Nazism, thereby bolstering the Ukrainian narrative about the current war. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova described the Ukrainian plans as "theater of the absurd," suggesting they were a failed attempt to disrupt the Russian celebrations.
This decision comes amid growing European divisions over support for Ukraine, with some countries showing a decline in their commitment to providing military aid. Meanwhile, countries such as Britain, France, and Poland continue to push for separate security initiatives, such as the "Reassurance Force" project to support Kyiv after the war.
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