Leaders of Germany, France and Poland Make Show of Joint Unity on Ukraine

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PUBLISHED Mar 16, 2024UPDATED Mar 16

Image copyright: Sean Gallup/Staff/Getty Images News via Getty Images

The Facts

The leaders of Germany, France and Poland — Olaf Scholz, Emmanuel Macron and Donald Tusk, respectively — on Friday staged a show of unity over European support for Ukraine, holding a meeting and press conference in Berlin.
Amid a stall in US funding for military aid to Ukraine, it has fallen on the shoulders of EU leaders to seek to provide Ukraine with the weaponry and ammunition it says it needs. However, prior to Friday's meeting, Scholz and Macron have publicly disagreed on how to proceed.

The Spin

Pro-establishment narrative

In recent weeks, Emmanuel Macron has shifted from a dove to a hawk on the issues of Russia, Ukraine and European security. While this has raised eyebrows to some, including German diplomats, others are thinking perhaps that this is the leadership needed.

Macron switches from dove to hawk on Russia's invasion of Ukraine

BBC NewsMar 16

Establishment-critical narrative

Despite Scholz, Macron and Tusk trying to put on a show of a united front, there's major differences between these countries on the issue of Ukraine. Those differences began to reveal themselves from the cracks during Friday's meeting.

German, French and Polish leaders hold emergency meeting on Ukraine

GuardianMar 15