Zelenskyy in France, Declaration of Unity and Russian offensive in Luhansk Oblast: last night's highlights
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visits Paris for the first time since Russia's full—scale invasion, meeting with the leaders of France and Germany. Ukraine and the United Kingdom signed a Declaration of Unity. And Russians launched an offensive in Luhansk Oblast. Here is what you may have missed from the previous night.
Zelenskyy's visit to France
On Wednesday evening, February 8, Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Paris.
Macron confirmed that France would support Ukraine, accompanying it to victory, and awarded Zelenskyy the Legion of Honor. This is the highest honor in France, awarded by the president for military or civilian services.
Declaration of Unity
Ukraine and the United Kingdom have signed a Declaration of Unity.
The document states that in 2022, Britain's military, humanitarian, and economic support to Ukraine reached almost 4 billion pounds (about $4.5 billion). Britain has become the largest provider of military assistance to Ukraine after the United States.
President Zelenskyy noted that during his visit to London on February 8, he had agreed with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on the supply of armored vehicles and long-range weapons, as well as pilot training.
In addition, the document reaffirms Ukraine's right to reach its own security arrangements, including future NATO membership.
Offensive in Luhansk Oblast
Analysts at the Institute for the Study of War write that the Russian occupation forces have regained the initiative and launched a large-scale offensive in Luhansk Oblast. However, Ukrainian troops have not yet allowed them to achieve significant success.
Geolocation footage of the fighting confirmed Russian advances in the area of Dvorichna, northwest of Svatove.
Ukrainian rescuers in Turkey
A group of 87 Ukrainian rescuers has already arrived in Turkey to help with the earthquake relief efforts. They will work there for 10 days.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine has also sent 10 search and rescue dogs and 18 units of equipment to Turkey.
In Syria, a newborn baby girl was found during the rubble removal of a building destroyed by the earthquake. Her mother probably gave birth under the rubble. The child was connected by an umbilical cord to a woman who had died.
Scandal at the UN Security Council
British musician Roger Waters, co-founder of the rock band Pink Floyd, said at a UN Security Council meeting that Russia was provoked to attack Ukraine. He was invited to the meeting by Russia.
The musician noted that the invasion of Ukraine was illegal, condemned it, but then hinted that Russia was provoked.
Ukraine's Ambassador to the UN Sergiy Kyslytsya responded by saying that Waters had become “a brick in the wall of Russian disinformation and propaganda”, paraphrasing the lyrics from Pink Floyd's Another Brick in the Wall.
Other news from the night:
- Portugal will send three Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine in March.
- Sweden did not allow the second burning of the Quran near the Turkish embassy.
- Russia convicted a man who illegally crossed the Russian-Polish border on his way to his parents in Ukraine.
- The United States refused to participate in the World Boxing Championships, in particular because of the participation of Russians and Belarusians.
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