French, German, and Italian leaders Reach Kyiv in Show of Support for Ukraine

French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Premier Mario Draghi, and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

(Photo Courtesy: Twitter/@marklowen)

With the Russian assault on Ukraine showing no signs of ending, the heads of State of France, Germany, Italy, and Romania arrived in Kyiv on Thursday, 16 June, in a show of collective support for Ukraine.

French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Premier Mario Draghi, and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz travelled to Kyiv together and will be joined by Romanian President Klaus Iohannis.

This is the most high-profile diplomatic visit to the war-torn country's capital since the Russian invasion began on 24 February.

Macron told reporters that he, along with his German, Italian, and Romanian counterparts, would visit the sites of attack.

The leaders will also meet Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

"It is an important moment. It is a message of European unity toward Ukrainians," he was quoted as saying by Associated Press.

This comes one day after the US and Germany announced more aid to Ukraine, including longer range weapons.

Additionally, NATO defense ministers are set to meet in Brussels on Thursday to deliberate more military aid for Ukraine.

The visit is significant given that the economies of France, Germany, and Italy are three of the largest in the European Union.

Kyiv has chosen to ignore an ultimatum from Moscow to surrender the eastern city of Sievierodonetsk.

Russia, on Wednesday, 15 June, had ordered Ukrainian forces to let go of the "senseless resistance and lay down arms," The Guardian reported.

Russian troops control about 80 percent of Sievierodonetsk.

(With inputs from Associated Press and The Guardian.)