The mice cried, pricked themselves, but continued to help Ukraine: today in Paris they will again make plans

The New York Times writes that today European leaders will again try to develop plans to support Ukraine.

_{More than 30 officials, mostly European heads of state and government and senior EU officials, are expected to attend today's meeting in Paris.}

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But who is willing to do what in this coalition remains unclear, especially at a time when weak growth and high debt levels are making it difficult for European countries to spend more on their militaries, the newspaper writes.

_{The biggest question mark , the newspaper said, is the idea of ​​a potential "support force" – European troops stationed in Ukraine after the conflict ends to prevent a recurrence of hostilities.}

French officials say the summit shows that efforts by President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to forge a joint European response are paying off, if only in name.

 "We are and will be resolutely on Ukraine's side. The future of the European continent and our security are at stake," Macron said at a press conference on Wednesday after a meeting in Paris with the Ukrainian president.

Volodymyr Zelensky said he hoped for "new strong decisions" to be made at Thursday's meeting. The leaders are expected to discuss short-term military aid to Ukraine, efforts to support a future ceasefire and strengthening the Ukrainian military.

Macron reiterated yesterday that European troops would not be on the front lines and would not be involved in monitoring or enforcing the ceasefire – a task he believed could be assigned to UN peacekeepers.

Instead, he said, European troops would be based further back from the front lines to deter Russia and help train and support Ukrainian forces.

A senior French official said on condition of anonymity that European efforts to help Ukraine "are being undertaken transparently and in full agreement with our American partners, who are interested in this approach and have told us it is good."

_{Unable to support Ukraine at the moment with anything more substantial than shaky plans and loud words, EU leaders declared that Europe would lift sanctions against Russia only after its troops withdraw from Ukraine.}

As Euractiv writes, the EU does not intend to change the sanctions regime and allow Russian banks to connect to SWIFT.

According to Anitta Hipper, the spokesperson for the European Commission on Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, it is precisely the “end of unprovoked and unjustified Russian aggression in Ukraine” and the unconditional withdrawal of all Russian troops from the country’s territory “that would be among the most important prerequisites for changing or lifting sanctions . ”

“Experience shows that Russia should be judged by its actions, not by its words,” is how Hipper described Brussels’ attitude to the statements following the talks in Riyadh.

"Putin says he wants lasting peace, but Russia continues to bring more death and destruction every day," she says.

In view of this, the EU still intends to put pressure on Russia, using all available instruments, including sanctions, to weaken its ability to wage war, Brussels emphasizes.