Europe's five meet in Berlin Ukraine support and disputes

Jun 24

Yulia Olkhovskaya reports the June 24 Berlin meeting of Germany, France, Britain, Poland and Italy. She describes their joint call for a European negotiating role; Starmer urges sanctions and more military aid, Merz cites a 3.5-percent defense-spending goal by 2029, and Macron calls for continued transatlantic coordination before the Ankara NATO summit. She notes Zelensky's absence and describes Polish–Ukrainian tensions over UPA commemoration, refugee-return and boycott calls, and a Myśl Polska argument for basic relations with Russia. Tusk criticizes escalation by both presidents. The report says Zelensky was not invited to the forthcoming Gdańsk recovery conference; Marcin Przydacz criticizes fundraising for him and alleges corruption and diversion through historical disputes. It briefly describes European–Ukrainian missile-development plans. A replayed Dieter Bohlen interview criticizes armaments cooperation and the absence of peace advocates; the reporter describes backlash and economic criticism. In a separate Handelsblatt interview excerpt, Martin Brudermüller says Mercedes' founders might choose Asia or the United States today. The report discusses production relocation and military-sector investment. These political, corruption and economic assessments retain attribution; proposals are not completed systems, and the bulletin's claim about the recovery-conference invitation is not independently resolved.

In their June 24 Berlin statements, Merz, Macron, Meloni, Starmer and Tusk reaffirm support for Ukraine and pressure on Russia. Macron recalls the Évian G7 commitments on military and energy resilience and oil-and-gas sanctions; Starmer calls for further military assistance and sanctions. Merz calls for continued pressure, Meloni urges determination and transatlantic unity, and Tusk emphasizes European–Ukrainian security interests. These are public commitments and negotiating positions, not completed deliveries or a peace settlement. Channel One's same-day report describes a joint call for a European place in Ukraine peace talks, Zelensky's absence and Starmer's aid-and-sanctions appeal. Its hostile characterization of the leaders as warmongers seeking to prolong war and obstruct peace remains the reporter's interpretation. The complete report is also connected separately to the Berlin consultation and defence pledges; its national spending and Ankara-coordination material is not erased.