Day 113 Roundup: Western Leaders Visit Kyiv as Russia and China Pledge 'Mutual Support'
Image credit: AP Photos [via AP News]
The Facts
- The leaders of the EU's three biggest countries – France, Germany and Italy; represented by Emmanuel Macron, Olaf Scholz and Mario Draghi, respectively – visited Kyiv on Thurs. to discuss Ukraine's ambitions of joining the bloc ahead of a European Commission meeting on Ukraine's candidacy this Friday.
- While the countries have been lukewarm on Ukraine's bid to join the EU, Macron on Thurs. said they now support the "immediate" candidate status. Ukraine has previously been critical of the countries for allegedly dragging their feet with support and weapons shipments.
- Ahead of the meeting, Oleksiy Arestovych, an adviser to Ukrainian Pres. Volodymyr Zelenskyy, told German outlet Bild he was concerned EU leaders would pressure Ukraine to accept a peace deal favorable to Russia. "They will say that we need to end the war that is causing food problems and economic problems… that we need to save Mr Putin's face."
Sources Split
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CENTER
RIGHT
ESTAB
CRIT
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PRO
ESTAB
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
This invasion is an egregious violation of international law. Putin's ultimate aim is to restore the Soviet empire, even if it takes massive bloodshed and false pretexts such as calling the 2014 Ukrainian revolution after a fraudulent election a "coup". This unprovoked attack is the latest chapter in Putin's Orwellian attempt to rewrite history.
Pro-Russia narrative
NATO and the US have ignored Russia's security concerns by breaking its promise not to expand eastward in return for German reunification. These concerns are legitimate and taking them seriously would have avoided the Ukraine tragedy.
Metaculus Prediction
There is a 2% chance that Ukraine will join the European Union before 2024, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
