The visit by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi has taken weeks to organise with the three men looking to overcome criticism within Ukraine over their response to the war.
“We are at a point when we need to send clear political signals, us Europeans, towards Ukraine and its people when it is resisting heroically,” he said, without giving details. “They will say that we need to end the war that is causing food problems and economic problems … that we need to save Mr Putin’s face,” he said, referring to comments by Macron this month that it was vital not to humiliate the Russian leader.