France, Germany Assure "Full Support" To Ukraine Amid Rising Tensions
Russia-Ukraine war: Asked about the message he intended to send with the leaders' act, Macron replied "full support for Ukraine" as he and Scholz approached around 200 people gathered nearby.
French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz showed Ukraine their "full support" on Monday as they visited Berlin's symbolically important Brandenburg Gate, illuminated in Ukraine's national colours, AFP saw.
Asked about the message he intended to send with the leaders' act, Macron replied "full support for Ukraine" as he and Scholz approached around 200 people gathered nearby.
Some were draped in Ukraine's blue and yellow national colours and chanted "Mariupol", a southeastern Ukrainian city devastated by Russian strikes.
The Brandenburg Gate formed a central part of the wall that separated east and west Berlin. It symbolised the Cold War's "Iron Curtain" that divided the world into capitalist and communist blocs.
Some Ukrainians in the crowd criticised the French and German governments for being too close with Russia, which invaded its neighbour on February 24.
"I would like to see more courage," Tania, a 40-year-old doctor who has lived in Germany for 25 years, told AFP.
"I understand they (Macron and Scholz) fear for their own citizens, but we mustn't underestimate Russia," she said, adding that Moscow could attack Poland or the Baltic states next.
"People in the West are scared because of soaring prices and the fear of a third world war."
Scholz in particular has come under fire for arms deliveries to Ukraine deemed insufficient and Germany's reliance on Russian energy imports.
Asked about the message he intended to send with the leaders' act, Macron replied "full support for Ukraine" as he and Scholz approached around 200 people gathered nearby.
Some were draped in Ukraine's blue and yellow national colours and chanted "Mariupol", a southeastern Ukrainian city devastated by Russian strikes.
The Brandenburg Gate formed a central part of the wall that separated east and west Berlin. It symbolised the Cold War's "Iron Curtain" that divided the world into capitalist and communist blocs.
Some Ukrainians in the crowd criticised the French and German governments for being too close with Russia, which invaded its neighbour on February 24.
"I would like to see more courage," Tania, a 40-year-old doctor who has lived in Germany for 25 years, told AFP.
"I understand they (Macron and Scholz) fear for their own citizens, but we mustn't underestimate Russia," she said, adding that Moscow could attack Poland or the Baltic states next.
"People in the West are scared because of soaring prices and the fear of a third world war."
Scholz in particular has come under fire for arms deliveries to Ukraine deemed insufficient and Germany's reliance on Russian energy imports.
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
