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Macron, Scholz and Draghi meet Ukrainian president in Kyiv

French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi have met the Ukrainian president in Kyiv, after the trio travelled overnight by train from Poland.

Published: 16 June 2022 08:25 CEST
Updated: 16 June 2022 14:01 CEST

Macron, Scholz and Draghi meet Ukrainian president in Kyiv

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (C) poses next to (LtoR) Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz, France's President Emmanuel Macron Italy's Prime Minister Mario Draghi and Romania's President Klaus Werner Iohannis prior to their meeting in Kyiv, on June 16, 2022. - It is the first time that the leaders of the three European Union countries have visited Kyiv since Russia's February 24 invasion of Ukraine. (Photo by Ludovic MARIN / AFP)

The three leaders left in the early hours of Thursday, arriving into Kyiv on Thursday morning. After a visit to the heavily-bombed town of Irpin, they met Ukraine’s leader Volodymyr Zelensky.

It is the first time that the leaders of the three European Union countries have visited Kyiv since Russia’s February 24th invasion of Ukraine, and the visit comes as Kyiv is pushing for membership of the EU.

Macron has been paying a two-day visit to Romania and Moldova to discuss the ongoing crisis caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

There had been widespread speculation in France that he would combine the trip with a visit to Zelensky in Ukraine, but this was not confirmed until Thursday morning.

In a joint press conference with Romanian president Klaus Iohannis, Macron reiterated his desire that Ukraine should win the war, but added that eventually negotiations between Ukraine and Russia will be necessary.

Emmanuel Macron's joint press conference with Klaus Iohannis, the Romanian president. On #Ukraine, Macron says the position of France and Europe has been "clear since day one…first of all, to do everything possible to prevent it…secondly to sanction Russia…1/n

— Kim Willsher (@kimwillsher1) June 15, 2022

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Scholz pledges to keep 'strict controls' on Germany's borders

“In general, it is our intention to continue to strictly control the German borders,” the SPD politician told the Saarbrücker Zeitung this week. He added that the numbers need to come down.

The Chancellor said labour migration was necessary and desirable. “But there are too many who come to us irregularly and claim to be seeking protection from persecution, but cannot give any reasons for asylum and are then rejected,” Scholz added.

Existing border controls, such as at checks at the border with France during the Olympic Games, will continue to apply until September 30th.

“It is our intention to continue to operate strict controls on the German borders,” Scholz said.

At the land borders with Austria, Switzerland, the Czech Republic and Poland, there have been stationary check points for some time. They are planned to remain until December 15th for Switzerland, the Czech Republic and Poland, and until November 11th for Austria.

Border controls were tightened leading up to the EURO 2024 tournament, which took place in Germany from June 14th to July 14th.

At the time, Interior Ministry Nancy Faeser (SPD) said checks would be carried out at all of Germany’s nine borders, with a focus on combatting security threats such as Islamist extremism.

According to the German Federal Police, more than 1.6 million people were checked when crossing the border during the tournament, and a total of 9,172 unauthorised entries were detected. Of these unauthorised entries, 6,401 people were turned back.

Scholz said the number of irregular migrants being returned to their home countries had increased by 30 percent in light of the new border measures, adding that the government has taken “practical” action to restrict irregular migration.

Alongside tighter border controls, the government has also taken steps to speed up the asylum process in order to determine which migrants have a valid claim.

Deportation debate intensified by recent events

Discussions over deportations escalated in Germany after a 25-year-old Afghan went on a knife rampage at an anti-Islam rally in the western city of Mannheim back in May.

READ ALSO: Tensions high in Mannheim after knife attack claims life of policeman

A police officer, 29, died of his wounds after being repeatedly stabbed as he tried to intervene in the attack, while five attendees at the Pax Europa rally were injured.

clean-up in Mannheim

Members of the fire brigade clean away the blood at the scene where several people were injured in a knife attack on May 31, in Mannheim.
Photo by Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV / AFP

The deadly attack sparked a furious debate over whether criminals should be returned to places like Afghanistan and Syria, even if those countries were deemed unsafe.

Scholz, who has previously voiced his support for deporting dangerous criminals to their home countries, said the government was currently working on ways to do so.

“Are we allowed to choose who comes to Germany? Yes,” the SPD politician said at the summer press conference in Berlin on Wednesday.

The Federal Government is working “very precisely” on deporting “offenders in particular” to Syria and Afghanistan, he added.

A court in Münster recently concluded that parts of Syria were now safe for migrants to be returned to, potentially upending Germany’s long-standing asylum policy for citizens of the war-torn country.

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