Ukraine is “not a burden for our security but the front line that protects Europe”. The British Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, traveling to kyiv on Monday, showed his resolute support for Ukraine by comparing the fight led by the Ukrainians against the Russians to that led by the United Kingdom against Nazi Germany.
A comparison full of meaning, like the message of unwavering support that the European allies wanted to convey to Vladimir Putin. The meeting of the member states of the “Coalition of the Willing”, bringing together 30 participants including France, the United Kingdom and Germany, was organized on Monday in kyiv, the day of the 35th anniversary of the proclamation of the independence of Ukraine, a former Soviet republic. Its members called for intensifying pressure against Russia, further attacking the “ghost fleet” used to pursue its exports. Andy Burnham and Emmanuel Macron called for support for Ukraine in its quest for air defense systems, essential to shoot down the missiles that Russia fires almost daily at its cities. The French head of state pledged on Saturday that France would deliver new interceptor missiles.
Sharing Classified Information
The European Union, for its part, announced the release of a new tranche of 6.1 billion euros in aid to Ukraine to strengthen its anti-aircraft defense and its supply of missiles and other munitions. But the needs are immense and deliveries are currently insufficient. To go further, Andy Burnham confirmed having authorized the defense company MBDA to share classified information allowing Ukraine and France to set up local production of the Franco-British Scalp long-range cruise missile.
The news provoked outrage in the Kremlin, which accused London of obstructing peace and warned that the Russian army would locate “the production sites” of these missiles and then destroy them. “Russia will attempt an escalation against European countries in order to dissuade them from helping Ukraine,” predicts Emmanuel Macron, who spoke during the meeting. And the French head of state warned: “It is clear that NATO countries will be targeted and that provocations will increase.”
