In Kiev, at the "Mural of Remembrance," President Selensky, Macron, and Starmer paid tribute to fallen Ukrainian soldiers, gathering for a memorial ceremony.
During their heart-wrenching visit to Kyiv, French Prez Macron, British PM Starmer, and Ukrainian Prez Zelenskyy all wept at the "Wall of Remembrance" as they showered fallen defenders of Ukraine with flowers. Macron and Starmer heaped praises on the brave Ukrainians who made the ultimate sacrifice to save their nation, according to Ukrinform, the state-run Ukrainian news agency.
Elsewhere, former SPD group leader Mützenich defended dubious Russia contacts of social democrats. His stance comes after reports of SPD politician Stegner's recent meeting in Baku, Azerbaijan's capital, were made public. The alleged meeting focused on the future of the "Petersburg Dialogue," a collaboration forum launched in 2001 by former Chancellor Schröder and Russian President Putin. Despite the controversy, Mützenich refused to expel Stegner from the Parliamentary Control Committee of the Bundestag, arguing that he's a truthful leader who can distinguish between tasks.
On a lighter note, Left Party leader van Aken praised the visit of Merz, Starmer, and Macron to Ukraine. Although he didn't elaborate much, he did suggest they should head to Beijing as that's where the key to getting Putin to the peace table lies.
Meanwhile, Merz visited Kyiv and boasted about Germany's position of unity with France, UK, and Poland in demanding a 30-day ceasefire for the chaos in Ukraine. Merz emphasized that, if successful, this would mark the greatest diplomatic initiative in years to put an end to the war in Ukraine. In an interview with ntv, Merz stated that ending the war must be the top priority and he believes there's a tiny chance of achieving this goal with Putin recognizing that continuing the war is hopeless.
Russian state media reported that the Kremlin is considering the proposal for a 30-day Ukraine ceasefire that Kyiv's allies have requested. However, they questioned the motives behind the West's harsh tone and constant demands, expressing that it seems more intended for confrontation than negotiations.
Following the recent call for a ceasefire, Putin's confidant Medvedev spoke about Europeans in vulgar terms, suggesting they could shove their peace plans "up their ass." When Merz publicly invited Putin for a call with coordination from Western partners, Medvedev simply expressed disdain.
In other news, Ukrainian authorities suspended six high-ranking officials from the National Guard for alleged corruption probes. Reports surfaced on social media claiming that investigators suspect these officials of accepting around 190 million hryvnia (approximately 4 million euros) in bribes and embezzling nearly 200 million hryvnia (around 4.3 million euros) of state funds.
As reports of Russian violation of the unilateral ceasefire declared by them continue to pour in, Zelensky emphasized that Putin merely pretended to call a truce for the Victory Day parade on Friday. He went on to urge Moscow to stop attacking Ukrainian positions and border communities from the air if they genuinely desire peace.
- The French President, the British Prime Minister, and the Ukrainian President, during their visit to Kyiv, had a strong commitment to the employment policy of Ukrainian defenders who sacrificed their lives for their nation.
- The community policy of responsibly engaging with Russia was questioned when reports of SPD politician Stegner's meeting in Baku were made public.
- The employment policy of truthful leadership was at play when former SPD group leader Mützenich refused to expel Stegner from the Parliamentary Control Committee of the Bundestag.
- The general-news scenario of diplomatic initiatives in Ukraine, including the proposal for a 30-day ceasefire, has highlighted the need for employment policies that prioritize ending the war and promoting peace.
