According to the Reuters news agency, France's Emmanuel Macron, Germany's Olaf Scholz, Italy's Mario Draghi and Romania's Klaus Iohannis “signalled that Ukraine should be granted European Union candidate status, a symbolic gesture that would draw Kyiv closer to the economic bloc.”
During the visit, the French President vowed his country would step up arms deliveries to Ukraine, including six more Ceasar howitzers, in addition to the 12 previously delivered.
The EU leaders also toured the town of Irpin, nearby Kyiv, which has been the scene of heavy fighting and was destroyed by Russian attacks.
According Reuters, “the tour was designed to highlight what Ukraine and its backers say were large-scale atrocities committed by Russian troops”.
The agency quoted Germany’s Scholz as saying that the town witnessed “unimaginable cruelty" and "senseless violence".
"It's a heroic city...marked by the stigma of barbarism," France’s Macron said, as quoted by Reuters.
The visit takes place ahead of this month’s summits of the EU, NATO and the Group of Seven (G7) most advanced economies.
(tf)
Source: Reuters
