Macron: Paris and London intend to help Kyiv launch a counteroffensive

France and Britain have set themselves the task of helping Ukraine launch a counteroffensive in the near future, French President Emmanuel Macron said during a joint press conference with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

“Our desire for the near term is to help Ukraine survive and launch the counteroffensive it wants to wage,” he said (quote according to RIA Novosti).

sunak like notes The Guardian stressed that London hopes for Kyiv’s victory in the armed confrontation. To this end, among other things, Paris and London agreed to organize the training of Ukrainian marines.

Earlier today, Advisor to the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Mykhailo Podolyak declaredthat the counteroffensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine could begin within the next two months. According to him, now Russian military personnel are most actively advancing in the direction of Artemovsk (the Ukrainian name is Bakhmut), Vugledar, Krasny Liman and Soledar.

The day before, CIA chief William Burns called the next six months the most critical for Ukraine. Burns noted that the Russian military will be able to achieve some advances, but they will not be significant.

In mid-January, Russian President Vladimir Putin called the dynamics of the special military operation positive. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the Russian military continues their offensive in the Donetsk direction, in particular, there are battles in the Artemovsk area. At the end of January, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky pointed to the tense situation around the city. On March 8, the founder of Wagner PMC, Yevgeny Prigozhin, announced that his troops had occupied the entire eastern part of Artemovsk.

Russia’s special operation in Ukraine began on February 24, 2022. President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin called the protection of the inhabitants of Donbass, as well as the demilitarization and denazification of Ukraine, its goals. During the special operation, Russian troops took full control of the LPR, as well as most of the DPR, Kherson and Zaporozhye regions. Subsequently, these territories became part of Russia, and on October 19 martial law was introduced in the regions.