Macron, Scholz & Draghi visit war-ravaged city of Irpin; denounce Russian actions

As the ravaging war in Eastern Europe continues unabated, three European Union (EU) leaders together paid a visit to war-torn Ukraine in an attempt to show their solidarity. On Thursday, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi visited Kyiv for the first time since the onset of the war on February 24. The leaders first visited the Kyiv suburb of Irpin, where bodies of nearly 300 people were reportedly discovered after the Russian military left the area at the end of March. In addition, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis also arrived separately in the war-torn nation. 

According to reports, all the visiting leaders are expected to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and discuss several key matters including providing additional military and financial assistance, as well as Ukraine's desire to join the European Union. "We don't just want to demonstrate solidarity. We also want to assure that we will continue providing financial, humanitarian and military support to Ukraine," German news agency DPA quoted Scholz as saying. He also stressed that sanctions on Russia, are also significant and could lead to Moscow withdrawing its forces.

French president Macron says signs of war crimes evident in Kyiv suburb

Meanwhile, French President Macron affirmed that there are signs of war crimes in a Kyiv suburb. He further condemned the cruelty of the attacks that ravaged the town, and also commended the people of Irpin and other Kyiv regions for their bravery in preventing Russian soldiers from storming the capital. “It’s a message of European unity for the Ukrainian people, support now and in the future, because the weeks to come will be very difficult,” Macron stated, The Associated Press (AP) reported. 

Meanwhile, Romanian President Iohannis also expressed shock over the "horrible destruction" in Irpin. "I strongly renew my appeal for all Russian perpetrators to be held responsible by the international criminal justice, which Romania fully supports," he said in a Twitter post. 

EU leaders' visit comes amid criticism for not fully supporting Ukraine

It is worth mentioning here that the visit holds significant importance given that the three Western European powers have been chastised for not delivering Ukraine with the amount of equipment that Zelenskyy has requested. Further, they have also been criticised for not paying a visit to Kyiv sooner. However, several other European leaders have already made their arduous journey to Ukraine to show support for a nation under attack.

Meanwhile, Serhiy Haidai, the regional governor of Luhansk, said the visit will be fruitless if the leaders demand that Ukraine sign a peace treaty with Russia that includes territorial concessions. He stated that Ukrainians would never approve of such a proposal. 

(Image: AP)