In his first policy speech on Tuesday, the new French Prime Minister Michel Barnier insisted that France’s support for Ukraine’s fight to defend its sovereignty will continue under his government’s leadership.
“These are people who, for two and a half years since the beginning of the war of aggression, have been fighting and dying to defend their freedom, sovereignty, and territorial integrity,” Barnier told the National Assembly, speaking about Ukraine.
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“We must understand that they are fighting to defend the values that we also share,” he said to raucous applause, according to a correspondent from state news agency Ukrinform.
Before Russia began its full-scale invasion in February 2022, Barnier had promoted “dialogue” with the Kremlin but changed his position thereafter. The top leaders in his government, Armed Forces Minister Sebastien Lecornu and the new Foreign Minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, are also key pro-Ukraine figures.
Barnier, from France’s conservative Republican party, began his term on Sept. 5 after the resignation of Gabriel Attal, a more liberal voice from the Rennaissance party, who was both the country’s youngest prime minister at 34 and its first openly gay government leader.
Barnier’s pledge of support for Ukraine, aside, his Republicans ran on a platform of cost-cutting in the most recent elections, and their government is tasked with developing a national budget for 2025 by Oct.1. Barnier said that France must cut its budget deficit and shore up its soaring debt.
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“The sword of Damocles hanging over us is our colossal financial debt,” Barnier told the National Assembly.
Zelensky tells defense conference that Ukraine has produced 25 times more ammo than in all of 2022
Speaking to a defense conference on Tuesday, President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukraine has domestically manufactured 25 times more artillery and mortar rounds than it did over the entirety of 2022.
Almost 300 weapons companies, both Ukrainian and foreign, were in Kyiv for the conference, the Second International Defense Industries Forum (DFNC2).
“Today, everyone can witness this new Ukrainian capability. In the first half of this year alone, Ukraine produced 25 times more artillery and mortar ammunition than in the entire year of 2022,” Zelensky said, adding that Ukraine has also established a new repair facility for a variety of military equipment.
“In the extremely difficult conditions of a full-scale war, under constant Russian attacks, Ukrainians have managed to build a de facto new defense industry,” Zelensky told the group, which hailed from hundreds of defense companies representing dozens of countries from around the world. Many of them will be signing new agreements with Ukraine, the president noted.
“While years ago, the Ukrainian defense industry unfortunately looked helpless, today it is an industry that is on its way to leadership, at least in Europe. Today, these are industries that Ukraine can once again be rightfully proud of,” he said.
The First International Defense Industries Forum was held in Kyiv, last September. The conference brings together manufacturers of tanks, artillery, drones, and ammunition, as well as defense technology producers.
Wounded toll in Zaporizhzhia rises to 32, including three children, while the Kherson market counts its dead
Rescue workers on Tuesday night reported that 32 civilians have been wounded in Russian airstrikes on residential areas of Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine’s sixth largest city. One person was killed.
Among the wounded are at least three children, ages 9, 10 and 12. Explosions were heard all around the city in the afternoon when Russian occupying forces dropped six aerial bombs.
The strikes occurred shortly after Russian airstrikes massacred six civilians at a market in Kherson. At about 9 a.m. on Oct. 1, Russian forces struck the center of Kherson with barrel artillery, targeting an area near the local food market and a public transport stop.
Roman Mrochko, the head of the local military administration, stated that among the injured were women aged 68, 65, and 33, as well as a 65-year-old man. All had blast and shrapnel injuries, sustained while they were outside during the Russian attack.
“The Russians continue to target civilians!” Oleksandr Prokudin, the head of the Kherson Regional Military Administration, wrote on Telegram.
“People of Kherson, I strongly urge you not to leave your homes today unless absolutely necessary,” Prokudin said.
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