The French Foreign Minister, Jean-Noel Barrot, has cautioned that a Russian victory over Ukraine would create “chaos” within the international system.
His remarks were made during a visit to Kyiv, highlighting France’s commitment to supporting Ukraine. This visit follows a week in which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky presented his “victory plan” aimed at overcoming Russian aggression and called for increased Western assistance.
Speaking alongside his Ukrainian counterpart, Andriy Sybiga, Mr. Barrot stated: “A Russian victory would endorse the principle of the strongest and drive the international order into chaos.”
He also referenced a separate proposal from Zelensky outlining Kyiv’s vision for a just and lasting peace, noting: “Our discussions… should facilitate progress on President Zelensky’s peace initiative.”
Furthermore, Mr. Barrot expressed concerns that the involvement of North Korean forces supporting Russia posed a “significant risk of further escalation” and could extend the conflict “beyond its current borders and boundaries.”
South Korea’s intelligence agency reported yesterday that North Korea had decided to deploy “large-scale” troops to back Moscow’s efforts in Ukraine, with 1,500 special forces already present in Russia’s Far East for training.
In a show of unity, U.S. President Joe Biden and the leaders of Germany, France, and Britain reiterated their “commitment to continue supporting Ukraine in its quest for a just and lasting peace” yesterday.
Earlier this month, Mr. Zelensky was in Paris as part of an intensive diplomatic tour visiting key allies of Kyiv.
He has not yet received backing for the specific elements of his “victory plan,” particularly the central request for an immediate invitation to NATO, which is largely considered unrealistic.
Additionally, Mr. Zelensky’s plan rejects territorial concessions, urges allies to lift restrictions on using donated long-range weapons against Russian military targets, and proposes the deployment of a “non-nuclear strategic deterrence package” within Ukrainian territory.
In a separate development, a freed Ukrainian prisoner of war reunites with a family member following a prisoner swap.
Russia and Ukraine have executed a new prisoner swap, with each side repatriating 95 prisoners in an agreement facilitated by the United Arab Emirates.
The Russian Defence Ministry reported via Telegram that the returned Russian soldiers were undergoing medical assessments in Belarus, one of Russia’s staunchest allies in the ongoing conflict.
A video on President Volodymyr Zelensky’s Telegram channel depicted men, some wrapped in the blue and yellow Ukrainian flag, disembarking from a bus late at night and being warmly welcomed by their families.
A Russian military video showcased smiling soldiers boarding buses.
“Every time Ukraine brings its citizens back from Russian captivity, we draw closer to the day when freedom will be restored to all those held by Russia,” Mr. Zelensky stated.
The president noted that the freed prisoners had served on multiple fronts, including several who had defended Mariupol for almost three months in 2022.
Ukrainian media indicated that among the returnees was journalist and rights advocate Maksym Butkevych, who had been convicted by a Russian court for allegedly firing on Russian forces.
The most recent known prisoner exchange, which involved 103 prisoners from each side, took place in September.
The organization coordinating prisoner affairs reported that 48 of those returned had received sentences from the Russian judicial system.
Dmytro Lubinets, the Ukrainian parliament’s human rights commissioner, stated that this release marked the 58th exchange since the war’s onset, bringing the total number of prisoners re-homed to 3,767.
A private Russian organization, which advocates for the interests of prisoners of war, published a list of those returned, revealing that most were captured in the Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces launched an incursion in August.
In his comments, Mr. Zelensky reiterated references to soldiers involved in that operation who “replenish the exchange fund,” referring to capturing Russian soldiers to use as leverage in negotiations.
Ukrainian forces continue their presence in Kursk, although Russian military reports claim they have regained some of the territory previously captured.
A statement from the UAE’s Foreign Ministry, as reported by state media, noted that this was the Gulf state’s ninth instance of mediation in the conflict and described the exchange as “a testament to the cooperative and friendly relations between the UAE and both countries.”
The last known prisoner swap, which involved 103 prisoners from each side, occurred in September.
