Scholz, Macron and Draghi meet Zelensky in Kyiv

German Chancellor Scholz, French President Macron and Italian Prime Minister Draghi visited the town of Irpin near Kyiv. They were shocked by what they saw. On Thursday, June 16, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky received German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi and Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, who arrived in Kyiv on a solidarity visit. The meeting of politicians is held at a round table, dpa reports. Earlier in the day, European politicians visited the city of Irpin near the Ukrainian capital. During the visit, they were accompanied by Ukrainian minister for territorial development Oleksiy Chernyshov. After Russian troops withdrew from Irpin, the bodies of some 300 civilians who had been killed in the fighting or murdered by the invaders were found there. European politicians shocked by what they saw in Irpin Olaf Scholz condemned the “cruelty” of Russian military aggression in Irpin and stated the “senseless brutality” of Russian troops. “Innocent civilians were killed and houses were destroyed. An entire town that had no military facilities at all was destroyed. This says a lot about the brutality of Russian aggression, which is simply out to destroy and conquer,” the German Chancellor stressed. The destruction in Irpin he said is “a very important reminder” that something must be done to stop “this terrible war” that Russia is waging “with the utmost cruelty, without regard for human life.” While in Irpin, Emmanuel Macron stressed that “massacres and war crimes” had been committed there. “It is a heroic city marked by the stigma of barbarism,” the French president added. Support for Ukraine will be provided as long as necessary The German chancellor assured Ukraine of continued full support in its fight against Russian aggression. “We want not only to show solidarity, but also to assure that our financial, humanitarian and military aid will be continued as long as it is necessary for Ukraine’s struggle for its independence,” Scholz said June 16 on the train on the way to Kyiv. At the same time, the chancellor continued, we will once again make clear that the sanctions imposed against Russia are of great importance. “Because they contribute to the fact that there is a chance that Russia will abandon its plot and withdraw its troops again. That’s the goal,” Scholz stressed. Air raid siren in Kyiv Chancellor Scholz, President Macron and Prime Minister Draghi arrived in the Ukrainian capital on a special train from Poland. Romanian President Iohannis arrived in Kyiv separately. For security reasons, the visit of European leaders was not officially announced in advance. Shortly after the politicians arrived in Kyiv, an air raid alarm sounded, dpa news agency quoted its correspondent as saying. DW