France, Poland and Germany want to support Ukraine “until victory” in the face of the Russian attack. President Emmanuel Macron announced this at the start of the Weimar Triangle summit on Monday evening in Paris.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz spoke of support “as long as necessary” and promised security guarantees for Ukraine. However, he did not want to comment on a timetable at the press conference in the Elysée Palace before the start of the dinner together. “We’ve been talking to Ukraine about security guarantees since the outbreak of war,” said Scholz. He stressed that after the United States, Germany is the largest financial contributor to Ukraine’s security.
Polish President Andrzej Duda demanded that Germany and France commit to the NATO goal of spending at least two percent of gross domestic product on defense. France just passed a record defense budget and will hit the target.
Divergences in the migration question
President Macron pointed out that Ukraine’s counter-offensive has begun and that it is planned for “weeks, even months”. Europe will provide Ukraine with all the military assistance it needs. Duda wanted to inform Macron and Scholz that evening about his recent conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. At the press conference, the Pole did not want to confirm that he would have preferred to hold the Weimar summit in Kiev. He said even more than the location, Ukraine’s “symbolic presence” counts for the actions of the three countries.
Divergences became apparent in the joint appearance on the migration issue. Duda said Poland made a huge contribution to hosting Ukrainians and did not want to be “punished” for it. His country will resist if it is obliged to take in refugees “from other directions”. Macron and Scholz defended the pact on asylum and migration agreed by the EU interior ministers.
The tripartite meeting is intended to send a clear signal of European unity and solidarity with Ukraine. At dinner together, host Macron wanted to talk to Duda and Scholz about possible security guarantees for Ukraine and the calendar for EU accession, it was said in Paris on Monday. French diplomats stressed the importance of voting in the Weimar Triangle format.
