Macron meets Zelensky in Kyiv after visit to war-hit Irpin

French President Emmanuel Macron met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on Thursday after visiting the war-scarred town of Irpin, where Macron praised Ukrainians for their “heroism” in the face of the Russian invasion. The French leader, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi arrived in Ukraine earlier Thursday to deliver “a message of European unity”, Macron said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy shakes hands with French President Emmanuel Macron outside the Mariyinsky Palace, Kyiv, Ukraine, 16 June, 2022. REUTERS - VALENTYN OGIRENKO

UPDATE 14h00UT:

The three European leaders met with Zelensky in Kyiv on Thursday, after Macron a trip to the war-scarred town of Irpin.

Irpin is the closest Moscow's army got to the capital at the start of the war. Residential buildings and civilian infrastructure remain damaged in the suburb following Russian troops' attempts to capture Kiev.

"It's here, among other places, that the Ukrainians stopped the Russian army descending onto Kyiv," Macron said. "It represents the heroism of the army, but also of the Ukrainian population. And alongside that, you have traces of barbarism."

Draghi, Macron et Scholz en direction de Kiev.
Photo via La @repubblica pic.twitter.com/escDKbhEGm

— Alexis Karklins-Marchay 🇫🇷+🇺🇸 (@alexiskarklins) June 16, 2022

A first

The meeting with Zelensky in Kyiv marks the first time the two leaders have met physically since Russia invaded Ukraine in February.

It's understood that Ukraine handed over sanctions proposals against Russia during the meeting, which also included the leaders of Germany, Italy and Romania.

The trio's visit has taken weeks to organise, with the men looking to overcome criticism within Ukraine over their response to the war.

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Kyiv has accused France, Germany and, to a lesser extent, Italy, of foot-dragging in their support for Ukraine, saying they were slow to deliver weapons and put their own prosperity ahead of Ukraine's freedom and security.

This comes as Macron visited Romania and Moldova earlier this week, underlining the proximity of the Ukraine war and the potential spill-over of the conflict into the disputed Transnistria region.

Zelensky on Thursday accepted an invitation to take part in this month’s Group of Seven (G7) summit in the Bavarian alps, Scholz tweeted.

The Ukrainian leader, who is not believed to have left his country since the start of the war on 24 February, was expected to join the 26-28 June summit by video link.