The reconstruction of Ukraine is the “mission of a generation, which must begin now”urged German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Tuesday, October 25 at an international conference in Berlin (Germany) on the situation of the country invaded for eight months by Russia. Franceinfo takes stock of the day’s news on the war front in Ukraine.
A “Marshall plan” wanted by the Europeans
Faced with an assembly of experts and political leaders, Olaf Scholz called for the creation of a “21st Century Marshall Plan” to repair Ukrainian infrastructure, hard hit by the fighting. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, also present, said the scale of the destruction was “astounding”. “The World Bank estimates the cost of the damage at 350 billion euros ($345 million) – this is certainly more than any one country or union can provide alone. We need everyone on deck “she said.
For his part, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on Tuesday for a financial effort to the international community to cover an estimated $38 billion budget shortfall next year due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Russian ‘dirty bomb’ charges assessed by UN
The UN Security Council is due to discuss Russian accusations of a “dirty bomb” against Ukraine on Tuesday night. This discussion behind closed doors is being held at the initiative of Russia. Russian Ambassador to the UN Vasily Nebenzia sent a letter to the Security Council and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres repeating accusations of “provocation” by Ukraine, according to the missive seen by AFP .
Seven civilians killed in Donetsk region
Seven people died and three others were injured on Monday in Bakhmout, eastern Ukraine, regional governor Pavlo Kyrylenko announced on Telegram on Tuesday (October 25th). The city has been the scene of intense fighting with the Russian army for months. In addition, three bodies of civilians killed earlier were discovered in two localities in the region, said the governor.
Five injured in explosion in Melitopol
At least five people were injured in an explosion of a device in Melitopol, southern Ukraine, on Tuesday, according to local occupation authorities. The detonation sounded in front of a building housing a television channel and a radio station of the ZaMedia group. This city in the Zaporizhia region, which serves as the unofficial capital for Russian forces, is regularly agitated by acts of resistance carried out by Ukrainian partisans.
German President visits Kyiv
Frank-Walter Steinmeier arrived Tuesday morning in kyiv, where he will meet the Ukrainian president. The German head of state will also visit the small town of Korjukiwa, in the north of the country, which had been occupied by Russian troops. The German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, for his part considered that the reconstruction of Ukraine should “start now”. An international conference on this theme is being held in Berlin on Tuesday.
New UK Prime Minister lends support to Ukraine
Rishi Sunak on Tuesday called the Russian invasion a “terrible war which must end in success”. The Ukrainian president congratulated the head of government and said he was ready to “continue to strengthen” ties between Kyiv and London. Earlier in the day, the new President of the Italian Council, Giorgia Meloni, for her part promised that Italy would remain “a reliable partner of NATO in support of Ukraine” against Russia.