‘France, Poland share conviction we want a united, sturdy Europe’, Macron says
Opening the press convention, Macron talks in regards to the significance of the treaty with a brief crash course on historical past of Franco-Polish relations and thanks the groups concerned in drafting.
Macron says he shares with Tusk “a transparent and robust conviction: we want a united, sturdy, sovereign and aggressive Europe,” and he talks in regards to the duty to assure peace in Europe in mild of Russia’s persevering with aggression on Ukraine.
He says the safety and defence preparations within the treaty “don’t substitute Nato or the European Union,” however reinforce and operationalise the bilateral cooperation in a few of the key areas.
On business and innovation, he talks about numerous precedence areas for cooperation, together with on rising applied sciences, AI, quantum and biotechnologies, but in addition in vitality and cybersecurity.
Macron says the treaty attracts from each nations’ historical past and “opens a brand new web page” in relations with “irreversible” solidarity between the 2 nations.
Key occasions
The USA and its European allies are finalising a proposal for a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine that if refused would see them collectively impose new sanctions on Russia, a French diplomatic supply mentioned on Friday.
The supply mentioned the proposal had nonetheless not been given a inexperienced mild and could be labored on over the weekend at a summit being held in Ukraine.
Tusk says anybody attending Russia Victory Day parade brings disgrace on themselves
Polish prime minister Donald Tusk mentioned that anybody attending the navy parade in Moscow to mark the top of the second world warfare had introduced disgrace on themselves, after Slovak prime minister Robert Fico turned the one European Union chief to attend.
“I attempt to not touch upon the selections and behavior of leaders of states, particularly from our group,” Tusk advised a information convention.
“However there isn’t any doubt in my thoughts that being on the victory parade in Moscow and applauding President Putin … brings disgrace to everybody who’s there.”
Help for Ukraine is the “absolute focus” of Britain and its northern European allies, Keir Starmer mentioned as he attended a navy summit in Norway that coincided with Russia’s Victory Day celebrations.
The prime minister met counterparts at a Joint Expeditionary Forces (JEF) leaders’ gathering in Oslo on Friday, throughout which Volodymyr Zelenskyy additionally spoke just about.
After the summit, Starmer mentioned the UK-led group’s utmost precedence was defending the values “hard-won” throughout the second world warfare and persevering with to face behind Kyiv.
Chatting with broadcasters, the prime minister was requested what his message could be to Russia and Beijing as Chinese language president Xi Jinping attended occasions in Moscow marking the eightieth anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany.
Starmer mentioned: “The message of leaders right here may be very, very clear, and that’s that we’re targeted on Ukraine.
“[President] Zelenskyy got here in just about to a part of that assembly.
“And in order that’s the place our absolute focus is – with Ukraine, defending the values that yesterday at VE Day we have been remembering and commemorating, that have been hard-won within the second world warfare.”
Jakub Krupa
And that’s all from me, Jakub Krupa, however I depart with you Tom Ambrose to information you thru the afternoon.
Franco-Polish treaty signed – snap evaluation
Jakub Krupa
We don’t but have the complete textual content of the settlement, so it’s laborious to know precisely what it incorporates – particularly concerning the power of the language on important safety obligations.
Nonetheless, it ship a transparent sign of political intent from each leaders – for each nations, and, as Tusk prompt (16:52), additionally in the direction of the USA – that Europe is taking its defence tasks extra significantly.
Lastly, a cynic in me says that it’s additionally price noting the timing, with Poland’s presidential election simply over every week away.
Whereas the deal seeks to transcend short-term politics, the visible message — a present of unity and shut cooperation with a serious European energy— will do no hurt to the ruling social gathering’s candidate, centre-right Warsaw mayor Rafał Trzaskowski, who also recently met with Macron.
Requested about Zelenskyy’s feedback on tomorrow’s assembly of “the coalition of the keen,” Macron confirms it will happen in a hybrid format with some leaders becoming a member of in particular person and others on-line resulting from safety considerations and that he’ll participate in it.
On Russia’s present of pressure on the Moscow victory parade and extra broadly on the persevering with aggression on Ukraine, he says:
“President Putin is on the facet of warfare, not on the facet of peace.”
He says the fact of Putin’s actions present that any perception that Russia is enthusiastic about peace is “mistaken at this stage,” and repeats that European companions, along with the US, will maintain pushing for a ceasefire.
He’s additionally requested about Slovak prime minister Robert Fico’s presence in Moscow, and he diplomatically says he’s not certain that’s the very best studying of European historical past.
Poland’s Tusk isn’t fairly as diplomatic: repeating his earlier criticism (10:28), he says “being current on the victory parade in Moscow brings disgrace on whoever is there.”
And that concludes the press convention.
In response to a different query, Tusk additionally dismisses the suggestion {that a} nearer Franco-Polish cooperation is “an alternate, or one thing that’s [done outside] Nato, or, God forbid, anti-American.”
“It’s the precise reverse. We’ve all heard these feedback, repeated a number of instances, from our American allies, and we in Poland deal with these phrases significantly. … They usually have been clear: it’s essential arm, it’s essential be more and more self-sufficient, after which you may depend on US assist, in the event you pull your weight in relation to defence,” he says.
He provides that nearer relationship with France is part of that push.
“Sure, Europe wants to have the ability to defend itself. Sure, each aggressor must worry Europe, whether or not Russia or anybody else,” he says.
Macron responds by saying what’s modified is the creation of Nato, which additionally features a critical safety assure in Article 5.
He then goes on to repeat his major argument that European defence and safety place must be strengthened additional.
He says it’s wanted additionally due to the rising strain from the US for Europe to take extra duty for its security and develop into extra impartial.
He then says that the commemorations this week ship a transparent reminder that “we can’t succeed alone” and “slim nationalism” will not be the reply.
Tusk comes on the political a part of the query to argue that each Macron and himself proved to have the ability to battle towards populist and rebel proper.
He then says that the mutual help clause is underpinned by the conviction that every one nations discovered their classes from the second world warfare.
He additionally stresses that Poland is within the technique of constructing the biggest military in Europe to have the ability to defend itself and provide assist to companions, too.
Opening the Q&A, a Polish journalist tells Macron that Poland additionally had a treaty with France in 1939, and that didn’t assist it an excessive amount of when it was invaded, so what’s completely different this time?
And can this treaty final if Marine Le Pen or one other far-right determine involves energy?
Ouch.
Responding, Poland’s Tusk additionally references quite a few historic hyperlinks between the 2 nations.
However he places extra emphasis on translating that friendship and political declarations into particular treaty provisions with mutual safety and defence ensures and openings for shut cooperation in different areas.
“Our nations received’t really feel safer just because we discuss it, however when our political elites, in each nations, will work collectively, daily, to ensure our safety,” he says.
He says the signing date – on Europe Day – was not picked accidentally, as he stresses that “there isn’t any united Europe with out friendship, solidarity and Franco-Polish cooperation.”
He ends in French:
“Lengthy dwell Poland, lengthy dwell France, lengthy dwell our friendship”
… and he will get a bear hug from Macron in response.
‘France, Poland share conviction we want a united, sturdy Europe’, Macron says
Opening the press convention, Macron talks in regards to the significance of the treaty with a brief crash course on historical past of Franco-Polish relations and thanks the groups concerned in drafting.
Macron says he shares with Tusk “a transparent and robust conviction: we want a united, sturdy, sovereign and aggressive Europe,” and he talks in regards to the duty to assure peace in Europe in mild of Russia’s persevering with aggression on Ukraine.
He says the safety and defence preparations within the treaty “don’t substitute Nato or the European Union,” however reinforce and operationalise the bilateral cooperation in a few of the key areas.
On business and innovation, he talks about numerous precedence areas for cooperation, together with on rising applied sciences, AI, quantum and biotechnologies, but in addition in vitality and cybersecurity.
Macron says the treaty attracts from each nations’ historical past and “opens a brand new web page” in relations with “irreversible” solidarity between the 2 nations.
Macron, Tusk about to signal Franco-Polish treaty in Nancy
Proper, let’s cross to Nancy the place France’s Emmanuel Macron and Poland’s Donald Tusk are about to signal that Franco-Polish treaty and discuss to the press.
We’ve obtained a dwell stream in authentic languages beneath, however don’t fear in the event you don’t converse French or Polish: I’ll convey you the important thing traces right here.
‘We want this coalition,’ Zelenskyy says as he talks safety ensures for Ukraine
We now have an extended quote from Ukraine’s Zelenskyy on that assembly of “the coalition of the keen tomorrow,” by way of Reuters.
“We’re additionally preparing in Ukraine for a gathering with the leaders of the coalition of the keen. Severe work forward. We want this coalition, and we want it to be sturdy sufficient to ensure safety the way in which all of us agree on.
We want this coalition, and we want it to be sturdy sufficient to ensure safety the way in which all of us agree on.”
Hungary expels two Ukrainian diplomats after spying allegations
Earlier, we additionally reported on the 2 alleged Hungarian spies detained by Ukrainian safety forces (11:29).
We’ve got now had a response from Budapest, with Hungarian international minister Péter Szijjártó saying the nation would expel “two spies working below diplomatic cowl on the Ukrainian Embassy in Budapest.”
Szijjártó additionally slammed Ukraine’s investigation as “the newest smear marketing campaign”, AFP reported, including in a Fb video that “we won’t tolerate the fixed launching of such smear campaigns towards Hungary and the Hungarian individuals in Ukraine.”
For context, in accordance with the final official census in 2001, round 150,000 ethnic Hungarians lived in Ukraine’s Zakarpattia area.
European leaders from ‘coalition of keen’ to fulfill in Ukraine on Saturday, Zelenskyy says
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned that European leaders from the “coalition of the keen” will meet in Ukraine on Saturday.
“In Ukraine, we’re additionally getting ready to fulfill with the leaders of the coalition of the keen … Tomorrow we have now conferences,” Zelensky advised a navy summit in Oslo by way of video hyperlink, AFP reported, with out saying who would attend.
I earlier introduced you an replace on the treaty between France and Poland, which is to be signed as we speak in Nancy (10:09).
France’s Emmanuel Macron and Poland’s Donald Tusk are there now and we should always hear from them in simply over an hour.
Listed below are some photos from their arrival within the metropolis in jap France, which has historic hyperlinks to Poland: it’s a former seat of the exiled Polish king Stanislas I (Stanisław Leszczyński), father-in-law of the French king Louis XV.
And so, fittingly, the leaders met at Stanislas Sq..
I’ll control this for you.
And right here’s the 2025 model, from Pjotr Sauer and Shaun Walker.
Russian troops preventing in Ukraine marched along with Chinese language forces on Moscow’s Pink Sq. to mark the eightieth anniversary of Nazi Germany’s defeat, in a Victory Day celebration marked by larger spectacle than in recent times.
After a number of scaled-back Victory Days – with lowered navy shows and few international friends – Vladimir Putin on Friday addressed the biggest parade since his 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
“Fact and justice are on our facet. The complete nation, society, and other people assist the contributors of the particular navy operation,” Putin mentioned, utilizing the Kremlin’s most popular time period to explain the warfare.
The Russian chief additionally thanked a visiting North Korean navy delegation – a sign of deepening ties and new geopolitical realities, following current admissions from both sides that North Korean troops have been preventing alongside Russian forces in Ukraine.
This 12 months’s parade featured an expanded navy presence, with a brand new fleet of tanks rolling throughout Pink Sq., alongside rocket launchers, TOS-2 Tosochka heavy flamethrower methods, and Iskander ballistic missiles – all weapons used within the warfare in Ukraine. For the primary time, a number of forms of fashionable Russian-made drones have been additionally on show, underscoring their function as a defining function of the battle.
The showcase of weaponry marked a stark distinction to 2024’s toned-down parade, when solely a single Soviet-era tank rolled through Red Square.
The shift is prone to resonate in European capitals, the place officers have grown more and more involved about Moscow’s capacity to replenish its navy stockpiles and ramp up weapons manufacturing.
Over his two and a half a long time in energy, Victory Day has emerged because the centrepiece of Putin’s vision of Russian identity.
However for the reason that begin of Russia’s full scale invasion, the Kremlin’s mass propaganda machine has given it new that means, with Putin utilizing the celebrations to justify the present warfare.
Richard Nelsson
Right here’s an excerpt from our archives on the Russian Victory Day in 1945, and the way it was reported by the Manchester Guardian.
Moscow
Moscow’s nice day of rejoicing
11 Could 1945The Soviet Union’s victory celebrations are popularly thought to be the best second within the historical past of this nation for the reason that Revolution.
By no means has Moscow seen such crowds, and by no means earlier than throughout this warfare have the Soviet individuals proven their whole-hearted appreciation of Allied assist so freely and emphatically. It was ample to appear to be a foreigner in Moscow as much as the early hours of as we speak to be kissed, hugged and usually feted. In Pink Sq. all international automobiles have been stopped and the occupants dragged out, embraced, and generally even tossed into the air.
On the British embassy a junior official was all of a sudden known as upon to make a speech to a loudly applauding crowd which “stormed” the constructing.
Outdoors an enormous resort recognized to be tenanted by many British and Individuals a big crowd waited to pounce on everybody leaving and demand a speech.
In one in all Moscow’s major squares a British lady on the employees of the newspaper Britansky Soyuznik was strolling with a canine when a mass of individuals waving Pink banners and cheering wildly bore down on her. She and the canine have been chaired all the way in which again to the resort.
The climax of the celebrations was a victory salute staged with massed searchlights and rockets lighting up the entire sky over the town whereas 1000 weapons fired 330 salvoes.
Soviet papers appeared in victory editions as we speak. Pink Star’s entrance web page was dedicated to images of Marshal Stalin, Mr Churchill, and President Truman and the speeches made by these leaders in saying VE Day.
On different pages have been the final Order of the Day, images of Allied commanders, together with Basic Eisenhower, Discipline Marshal Montgomery, Discipline Marshal Alexander, photos of the Germans signing the give up doc in Berlin, and particulars of the brand new victory medal.
EU international ministers pledge additional assist for Ukraine, approve tribunal to attempt Russian leaders
Let’s convey you the newest from Europe’s present of unity and assist for Ukraine, in a direct response to the Russian parade in Moscow.
Throughout a gathering in Lviv, in western Ukraine, representatives of EU nations, candidate nations and Britain sought to ship a transparent sign of solidarity amid ongoing Russian invasion.
“We’re collectively celebrating the Day of Europe, whereas a parade is happening within the Kremlin. And Putin – he might think about himself the so-called victor, however he has no proper to monopolise victory,” Ukraine’s international minister Andrii Sybiha mentioned.
The EU pledged to disburse one billion euros ($1.1bn) from the proceeds of frozen Russian property to Ukrainian arms firms as a part of its assist to Kyiv because it fights off Moscow’s invasion, AFP famous.
“We’ve got simply made accessible 1 billion euros for the Ukrainian defence business in order that Ukraine may higher defend itself,” the EU’s prime diplomat Kaja Kallas mentioned. The funding would “instantly assist Ukrainian defence firms”, she added.
Individually, allies additionally accepted a tribunal to attempt Russian leaders for “the crime of aggression towards Ukraine.”
“We welcome the completion of the technical work on the draft authorized devices needed to ascertain inside the framework of the Council of Europe a Particular Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression towards Ukraine,” said a joint statement published by Ukraine’s foreign ministry.
Replace: An earlier model of this put up reported the assembly of EU international ministers was happening in Lviv, western Europe. Lviv is in truth in western Ukraine
