US President calls leaders of France, Germany and UK to discuss developments in Russia

Europe, News, US June 25, 2023 , by IRIA No Comments

U.S. President Joe Biden called President Emmanuel Macron of France, Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany, and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak of the United Kingdom on June 24, 2023, to discuss the developments in Russia.

The four leaders discussed the situation in Russia as Moscow faced one of the biggest challenges in decades. The brief call between the Western leaders focused on the unfolding situation in Russia.

The mutinous Russian mercenary forces from the Wagner Group started to march toward Moscow on June 23, to overthrow top military leadership and take control of the Russian administration.

According to the White House statement, Biden was briefed about the ongoing situation in Russia before the call with his allied partners. The statement highlighted that the four leaders also affirmed their unwavering support for Ukraine.

A spokesperson for German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that the conversation between the four leaders focused on reaffirming the support for Ukraine. The four leaders committed to continue supporting Ukraine against Russia as long as necessary.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also made similar comments about the call saying that the leaders “have agreed to stay in close contact in the coming days”, especially on matters related to Ukraine.

Separately, the foreign ministers of the G7 countries, the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United Kingdom, also held a call along with the High Representative of the EU to discuss the ongoing situation in Russia. During the call, the top diplomats of the G7 countries reiterated that the support for Ukraine will not change. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that “The United States will stay in close coordination with Allies and partners as the situation continues to develop”.

24 hours of chaos in Russia

On June 23, 2023, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Russia’s largest private military contractor and the owner and founder of the Wagner group, staged an apparent insurrection against the Kremlin by sending an armored convoy towards Moscow after raising questions about Vladimir Putin’s grip on power.

The move faced a severe reaction from the Russian President and his administration, who charged Prigozhin with mutiny and vowed to punish him for his rebellion against the government. By the end of June 24, Prigozhin called off his plans to take over Moscow and ordered his men to return to their positions.

*^{Fighters of the Wagner mercenary group took positions outside the headquarters of the Southern Military District in the city of Rostov-on-Don, Russia, on June 24, 2023. (Image Credit: Zumapress)}*

Wagner’s backdown came after Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko intervened in the situation and negotiated a deal between the Wagner Group and Kremlin. After negotiations, Wagner chief Prigozhin agreed to live in exile in Belarus.

The chaotic episode that unfolded in Russia drew significant attention from international observers, particularly the Ukrainian leadership, which is currently at war with Russia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy responded to the internal conflict by saying “Russia’s weakness is obvious.” He tweeted that “For a long time, Russia used propaganda to mask its weakness and the stupidity of its government. And now there is so much chaos that no lie can hide it.”