On January 30, the AAPA met for more than an hour with Vadym Omelchenko, Ukraine’s ambassador to France and Monaco, at the embassy in Paris.
During the mostly off-the-record meeting, Omelchenko briefed us on the latest on the battlefield in Ukraine, likening it to the “trench warfare” of World War I and noting that the bilateral deals Ukraine is now making with Germany, France, Britain and other countries are crucial for its ability to continue fighting.
He also expressed concern over the “outsized role” of propaganda in the conflict.
He said the moral support aspect of the upcoming visit to Ukraine by French President Emmanuel Macron could not be overemphasized at a time when Ukrainian cities are being attacked several times a day.
“The Ukrainian people see that they are not alone, and that people believe in us,” he said.”Every soldier in the trenches and every refugee is hoping to return home one day.”