Russia No objections from Paris to missile deployment in Ukraine

After the USA and Great Britain, France has also signaled its permission for Ukraine to use long-range weapons against targets on Russian territory. According to French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, Kiev may also fire the long-range missiles supplied by Paris at Russia "in the logic of self-defense". However, the minister did not say whether this had actually already happened in an interview with the British broadcaster BBC, excerpts of which were published in advance. There was no mention of a formal or recently formulated authorization, rather Barrot repeated France's well-known position.

A spokesperson for the French Foreign Ministry said that President Emmanuel Macron had already stated during his state visit to Germany in May that Ukraine must be able to neutralize Russian military targets that are directly involved in operations against its territory. International law is clear: Ukraine has the right to defend itself.

According to reports, Ukraine had fired long-range US-made ATACMS missiles and British Storm Shadow cruise missiles at military targets in Russia this week. France, in alliance with the UK, began supplying Ukraine with Storm Shadow missiles in July 2023 - the French name for the identical missiles is Scalp. Only Germany is not helping Ukraine with long-range weapons - Chancellor Olaf Scholz categorically rejects the delivery of the Taurus cruise missiles.

Russia speaks of "death blow" for Ukraine

Moscow sharply criticized the French Foreign Minister's statements. The authorization to use long-range missiles against Russia is "not support for Ukraine, but rather a death blow for Ukraine", Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told the state news agency Tass.

Selenskyj: Putin wants Kursk back before January 20

According to his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyi, Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin wants to recapture the territories occupied by Ukraine in the Kursk region by January 20 at the latest, the day US President-elect Donald Trump takes office. "The most important thing for Putin is to drive us out of the Kursk region," said Zelenskyi at the International Conference on Food Security "Grain from Ukraine" in Kiev. "I am sure that he wants to expel us by January 20 next year, because it is very important for him to show that he is in control of a situation that he is not in control of."

In a surprise offensive in August, Ukrainian troops took control of parts of the western Russian region of Kursk. At the height of their advance, the Ukrainian soldiers controlled around 1,400 square kilometers of the Kursk region. Now this area has shrunk to 800 square kilometers. According to Ukrainian estimates, however, this has cost Russia the lives of 25,000 soldiers. These figures could not be independently verified.

Zelensky expects the war to end in 2025

Selensky assumes that there are ways to end the war in the coming year. "When will the war end? If Russia wants the war to end. If America takes a stronger position. If the global South is on Ukraine's side and on the side of ending the war," said Selensky in an interview with representatives of foreign media in Kiev.

He was confident that all these measures would be implemented and decisions made sooner or later. "It will not be an easy path, but I am confident that we have every chance of making it next year," Zelensky was quoted as saying by the Ukrinform agency.

How will Trump behave?

"We are open to proposals from leaders of African, Asian and Arab states," Selensky continued. "I also want to hear the proposals of the new President of the United States of America and I think we will hear them in January and we will have a plan to end this war."

US President-elect Donald Trump had repeatedly indicated during his election campaign that he wanted to scale back the massive US military support for Kiev. His earlier declaration that he could end the war within 24 hours has recently been forgotten.

Russia has been waging a war of aggression against its neighbor Ukraine for over two and a half years. Most recently, there has been no indication from Moscow that it will give in to a quick end to the war.

Selensky advisor: Putin is "absolutely terrified"

Mychajlo Podoljak from the Ukrainian president's advisory staff sees the latest threats from Kremlin boss Putin as an expression of "absolute fear". He told Bild am Sonntag that the Russian president was trying to frighten the West with his threats. "Putin only wants to end the war on his own terms so as not to be held responsible for war crimes." Podoljak called on the West to adopt a tougher stance towards Russia. "You can't negotiate with Putin. He must be confronted clearly and consistently."

Podoljak criticized Chancellor Scholz's recent telephone call with Putin. He accused Scholz of having spoken to Putin without sufficient leverage. "Putin sees every phone call as a humiliation and confirmation of his supremacy." After the conversation, Russia responded with missile attacks on Ukraine, which confirmed his assessment.

SDA