French President Emmanuel Macron greets Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky at the international ceremony at Omaha Beach, Normandy for the 80th anniversary of D-Day, June 6, 2024 (Ludovic Marin/Reuters)

Wednesday’s Coverage: Kyiv and US Agree Black Sea Ceasefire…But Russia Issues Demands

Map: Institute for the Study of War

UPDATE 1435 GMT:

Speaking at the Ukraine summit in Paris, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said it is important for countries to speak with a “common voice” as they “push Russia”: “Everybody understood and understands that Russia, today, doesn’t want any kind of peace.”

The President said there will be further work on security guarantees for Ukraine “in the closest weeks and days”.

UPDATE 1424 GMT:

French President Emmanuel Macron says the objective of the coalition supporting is clear: “fundamentally, to win peace, and to do this, we must place Ukraine in the best possible position to negotiate and ensure that the peace that will be negotiated will be solid and lasting.”

Criticizing “stories and untruths” from Moscow, he criticized Russia for not signing up to a proposed ceasefire and instead introducing new conditions.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer hailed a “very constructive” summit of 31 countries on Ukraine’s security.

He said leaders agreed on the need for more support “to make sure Ukraine is in the strongest possible position, both now and in further negotiations”, with “complete clarity that now is not the time for lifting of sanctions”.

There was absolute clarity that Russia is trying to delay [peace], is playing games, and we have to be absolutely clear about that….

What came out was strong from the meeting was so many countries standing, as they’ve stood for over three years now, with Ukraine in this crucial moment for as long as it takes for.

Outgoing German Chancellor Olaf Scholz echoed, “It makes no sense to end the sanctions before the peace has actually been achieved. Unfortunately, we are still quite far from that.”

And European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen posted:

UPDATE 0704 GMT:

Ukraine’s military says it destroyed 96 cruise missiles in a strike last Thursday on Russia’s Engels-2 airbase.

The complex in the Saratov region is the main base for Russian strategic bombers.

The military said on Wednesday that it also destroyed a Russian command and observation post in the Kursk region in western Russia, killing a battalion commander.

Russia is trying to reclaim all of the territory seized last August by a Ukrainian cross-border incursion. At its height, Ukraine controlled 1,300 square km (500 square miles) of Kursk, but almost all has been regained by a Russian counter-offensive.

ORIGINAL ENTRY: With Paris hosting a summit on Ukraine’s security on Thursday, France’s President Emmanuel Macron has said that Russia still shows a “desire for war” despite attempts to establish a ceasefire in Moscow’s 37-month invasion.

Macron noted that Russia had tried to impose “new conditions” as it issued demands in response to a Ukraine-US agreement to halt attacks in the Black Sea.

He announced a €2bn ($2.15bn) military aid package for Kyiv.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will join Thursday’s gathering of leaders considering measures for a security guarantee, including the deployment of troops inside Ukraine if a ceasefire is reached.

Zelensky posted succinctly on Wednesday night:

Thanking Macron and the “entire French nation”, the President explained:

This is a historic moment. It’s about how today’s generation of European leaders will shape the security system of our continent for decades to come. This is exactly what we’re working on — defending against Russian aggression, establishing sustainable peace, and building reliable security guarantees for our Europe….

The more Europe produces for its own security, the safer life on our continent will be.

Zelensky also wrote about Russia’s ongoing attacks on Ukraine’s civilians in defiance of the ceasefire talks.

At least 11 people, including a 5-year-old boy and a 14-year-old girl, were injured by 12 drone strikes on Kharkiv city late Wednesday.