A “contact group of EU countries” could meet in December for the first time to work out a joint stance on ending Russia’s war in Ukraine. Zelenskyi says Ukraine is open to Macron’s idea of deploying Western troops as a security guarantee. Ukraine has lost 43,000 soldiers since the invasion.
Contact group of EU countries could meet in December for first time to work out joint stance on ending Russia’s war in Ukraine, Zelenskyi says
Speaking on a visit to Kyiv Monday, Friedrich Merz, the leader of Germany’s Christian Democratic Union and opposition candidate for chancellor, said he suggests launching a new so-called contact group of four EU countries to work out a joint stance on ending Russia’s war against Ukraine.
“I have a suggestion to launch a contact group that would include Germany, France, Poland, and the UK – four big EU and NATO countries, so that they exchange views [about bringing an end to Russia’s war against Ukraine] and develop a common strategy with the United States. We should discuss what you think of the idea,” Merz told Zelenskyi ahead of the talks in Kyiv, according to Ukrinform.
Responding to what Merz said, Zelenskyi noted they were having “the same thoughts”.
“I support your suggestion to create a contact group. To be honest, we have already organized it. The countries you named are in it, and we also count on Denmark to represent the Nordic group,” Zelenskyi said, adding that “we want to hold this meeting already in December.”
Merz arrived in Kyiv on Monday. While in Ukraine, he also stated that he supports sending long-range missiles to Kyiv so that Ukraine is capable of hitting military bases in Russia.
Zelenskyi says Ukraine open to Macron’s idea of deploying Western troops as security guarantee
Ukraine is open to French President Macron’s idea of deploying Western troops to the country as a security guarantee before its NATO membership, President Zelenskyi said Monday during a joint news conference with German opposition leader Friedrich Merz.
“If there is a pause [in the war] while Ukraine is not in NATO, and even if we had the invitation, and we would not be in NATO, and there will be a pause, then who guarantees us any kind of security? We can think and work on Emmanuel’s position. He suggested that some part of troops of a country be present on the territory of Ukraine, which would guarantee us security while Ukraine is not in NATO,” Zelenskyi said.
“But we must have a clear understanding of when Ukraine will be in the EU and when Ukraine will be in NATO,” he added.
Ukraine has lost 43,000 soldiers since invasion, Zelenskyi says
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi said on Sunday that 43,000 Ukrainian soldiers had been killed and 370,000 wounded since Russia’s full-scale invasion began.
“Our people are defending their home at the cost of their lives. Each life of our military and civilians is valuable to us. Since the beginning of the full-scale war, Ukraine has lost 43,000 soldiers who died on the battlefield. There have been 370,000 cases of medical assistance for the wounded, and this is taking into account that in our army approximately 50 per cent of the wounded return to service, and all injuries are recorded, including minor and repeated ones,” Zelenskyi said on social media.
He also claimed that Russian losses exceed 750,000 with 198,000 Russian soldiers killed and a further 550,000 wounded. “Since September Russia has been losing five or six troops for every Ukrainian soldier lost in battle. This is how they try to grab more land before the pressure that the world is aiming at them gets intolerable,” he added.
