The leaders came to Kiev; "Love frogs and spaghetti"

European leaders’ visit to Kiev angered Dmitry Medvedev, who called the French, Germans and Italians “fans of frogs, liver and spaghetti”. He claims that a visit to Kiev would be “useless” because these leaders support Ukraine’s immediate accession to the EU.

Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has angered and attacked the leaders of France, Germany and Italy after the three visited Ukrainian President Vladimir Zalansky in Kiev today and even went on a tour of nearby ruined towns with him. Medvedev called them “fans of frogs, liver and spaghetti.”

The three leaders, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Schultz and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi have announced their support for Ukraine receiving the status of an immediate official candidate to join the European Union. The three arrived in Kiev for a meeting with President Zalansky for the first time since Russia launched its brutal invasion last February.

The leaders arrived today (Thursday) in the Ukrainian capital by train from Poland before touring Irpin, a suburb of the ruined Ukrainian capital, where horrific atrocities were carried out by Russian soldiers.

They performed with the President of Romania, Klaus Johannes, alongside Zlansky at the Presidential Palace of Mariinsky of Kyiv. During a joint press conference at the palace, French President Macron said, “The four of us support Ukraine’s classes to join the EU.”

Earlier, the four leaders toured the destruction wrecked by the Russians in the city of Irpin during a month-long occupation, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said European leaders’ visit would be ineffective and that “European fans of frogs, heavy and spaghetti like to visit Kiev. They are useless. EU membership and Hobbit missiles to Ukraine, “Medvedev mocked the leaders and mocked Ukraine’s vodka,” it will not bring Ukraine closer to peace, “he said.

Russia has warned against supplying new Western weapons to Ukraine; “I want to hope that the leaders of these three countries and the President of Romania will not focus on supporting Ukraine by giving more weapons to Ukraine,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, adding that it would be “completely useless and cause further damage to the country.” The leaders of the major EU economies have embarked on their first trip to Ukraine since Russia sent troops to Ukraine on 24 February.

Macron said there were signs of war crimes in Erpin following a massacre of Russian forces, he condemned the “barbarism” of the attacks that devastated the town, and praised the courage of Erpin residents and other towns in the region who held out against the Russians, thus preventing the Russians from attacking Kyiv. Asked by a journalist why he came to Ukraine, Macron said upon his arrival: “This is an important moment, it is a message of unity that we send to Ukrainians, of support, to talk about both the present and the future, as the coming weeks will be very difficult.”

German Chancellor Schultz described scenes of “inconceivable cruelty” and “irrational violence.” “We want to show not only solidarity, but also to ensure that the help we organize, the financial, humanitarian aid, but also, as far as weapons are concerned, will continue, and we will continue to do so as long as it is necessary for Ukraine’s struggle against Moscow,” he said.

The leaders’ visit to Zalansky
Photo: Spokeswoman for the President of Ukraine