Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned European leaders about Russia’s potential military plans during a meeting in Paris on 27 March.
Zelenskyy shared intelligence suggesting imminent Russian offensives targeting Sumy, Kharkiv, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts.
“By our intelligence data, Russia is preparing for new offensives in the Sumy, Kharkiv, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts,” Zelenskyy said. He accused Russia of deliberately prolonging negotiations to gain strategic time.
The Russian attacks and airstrikes have intensified along the border in Sumy Oblast recently as Russian forces were attempting to breach Ukrainian defenses and disrupt supply routes to the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Russian Kursk Oblast.
The president emphasized that Russia seeks to continue the war. He called on partner countries to maintain sanctions against Russia and develop a collective plan for deploying guarantee forces.
Zelenskyy said about the need of joint investments in air defense systems, artillery shells, and drone production.
French President Emmanuel Macron announced a Franco-British mission will be sent to Ukraine. The mission’s primary objective is to strengthen the Ukrainian military’s capabilities.
A so-called “coalition of the will” led by France and Britain has been working on a plan to potentially deploy thousands of military personnel to Ukraine. However, European diplomatic sources told Reuters that significant doubts exist about the plan’s feasibility.
These doubts stem from multiple challenges: logistical complications, troop shortages, potential Russian resistance, and the absence of security guarantees from the United States.
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