Ukraine and France reach an important agreement!
On the 3rd local time, Ukrainian President Zelensky stated that he had reached an important agreement with French President Macron on how to train Ukrainian pilots in France. On the other hand, the Vice Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, Medvedev, stated on the 3rd that starting from January 1, 2023, approximately 280000 people will join the Russian armed forces in the form of signed contracts.
Zelensky stated on the 3rd that he discussed topics such as defense and food exports during his phone conversation with Macron. He has reached an important agreement with Macron on how to train Ukrainian pilots in France. But Zelensky did not disclose the specific content of the agreement. According to Reuters, Zelensky countered Western officials' claims on the 2nd that the progress of Ukraine's counterattack was too slow, stating that the Ukrainian army was moving forward. The Ukrainian army's counterattack has been ongoing for nearly three months, despite being hindered by large minefields and defensive lines. But the Ukrainian side has recaptured more than ten villages. Recently, some US officials have expressed dissatisfaction with the slow progress of Ukraine's counterattack, and even criticized Ukraine's strategy, which has caused dissatisfaction on the Ukrainian side. Analysis suggests that as the weather becomes colder later this year and progress on the battlefield slows down, Western support for Ukraine may begin to waver. At present, the West has invested a large amount of funds to help Ukraine counterattack, while Ukraine has stated that they still need more support.
According to the Russian news agency Sputnik on the 4th, German Finance Minister Lindner stated that before providing Ukraine with the Taurus long-range missile, the German government needs to consider the potential consequences for its own defense capabilities and avoid being involved in a conflict with Russia. It is reported that the most controversial aspect of the Taurus long-range missile is its range of up to 500 kilometers. German experts are debating whether missile programs can be reset to avoid situations where there may be attacks on Russian soil. According to the German magazine Der Spiegel, this issue has attracted the attention of German Chancellor Scholz, who is therefore in talks with military companies.
On the Russian side, the Vice Chairman of the Russian Federal Security Council, Medvedev, stated on the 3rd that starting from January 1, 2023, approximately 280000 people will join the Russian armed forces in the form of signed contracts, including reserve personnel, volunteers, and other categories of personnel. Medvedev emphasized that due to the importance of supplementing contract soldiers in the armed forces, he had face-to-face meetings with regional leaders. In early August, Medvedev stated that from January 1 to August 3, 2023, over 231000 contract soldiers were enlisted in Russia. He said that contract soldiers and volunteers have expressed high support and trust in Russian President Putin and are ready to defend their homeland.
