Barre confirms “Coalition of the Willing” meeting in Paris on February 24
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barre spoke of the strategic failure of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on the eve of the fourth anniversary of the full-scale war.
Addressing a meeting of the EU Council, he emphasized that the current state of the Russian army and economy reflects a deep crisis within the Kremlin regime.
According to the French diplomat, the occupying army now controls less than half of the territories captured in spring 2022. Barre stressed that any territorial gains by the aggressor are now minimal, while the cost of these advances for Russia has been catastrophic.
"Over one million human losses for Russia since the beginning of this war. And today, on the front, its army suffers a thousand casualties daily," stated the French Foreign Minister, highlighting the scale of the enemy’s degradation.
Barre also drew attention to the state of the Russian economy, which he believes is firmly entering a recession. He noted that the aggressor’s state treasury is rapidly emptying, limiting the Kremlin’s ability to continue financing its war of aggression in the long term.
A key step in supporting Ukraine will be tomorrow’s “Coalition of the Willing” meeting in Paris, convened by President Emmanuel Macron. In this format, over 30 countries will combine their military capabilities to provide Ukraine with reliable security guarantees after achieving a just peace.
Regarding increased sanctions pressure, the minister confirmed full readiness for the EU’s 20th sanctions package. Despite some delays in coordination, he assured that adopting the package is only a matter of time, not of member states’ fundamental agreement.
"The 20th sanctions package is ready; the question is not whether it will be adopted, but when exactly this will happen. In this regard, everyone must fulfill their obligations," summarized the French minister.
On the fourth anniversary of the full-scale war, Kyiv will host numerous ministers and world leaders. The UN General Assembly and Security Council will also discuss the consequences of Russia’s war against Ukraine on Tuesday.
