France's Macron reiterates support for Ukraine in D-Day ceremony

By Nur Asena Erturk

The French president on Thursday reiterated his support for Ukraine against those "who pretend to change borders by force" during a D-Day commemoration in northwest France.

Emmanuel Macron welcomed a large group of leaders, including US President Joe Biden, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, and many others, to Omaha Beach in the northern town of Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer for the third and international commemoration of D-Day's 80th anniversary.

Earlier, Macron participated in two bilateral ceremonies with US President Joe Biden and King Charles III.

“In the face of those who pretend to change borders by force or rewrite history, let us be worthy of those who landed here. Your presence here today, Mr. President of Ukraine, says it all,” Macron said, directly addressing Zelenskyy as the audience began to cheer and applaud.

“Thank you to the Ukrainian people, for your bravery, (and) desire for freedom. We are here, and we will not weaken,” he vowed.

He stressed the importance of unity during D-Day, despite American, British, Canadian, or French soldiers having neither the same flag nor a common uniform.

But they shared “a common will to liberate Europe from the yoke of the Nazi tyranny,” the president added.

He presented the highest honor in the nation, the Legion of Honor, to three veterans on this special occasion.

- D-Day

On June 6, 1944, Allied forces stormed Omaha Beach to defeat Nazi forces who had taken hold of many towns and villages in the northern region. Some 160,000 troops in 7,000 boats landed there, as well as on the nearby beaches of Utah, Juno, Sword, and Gold, as they were dubbed in the Allies’ plans.

Known officially as the Normandy Invasion, it left 4,414 troops killed on that day, including over 2,500 Americans, and some 5,000 wounded. A total of 9,843 troops from the US, Britain, and Canada were killed in action on June 6 and in the few days thereafter.

German troops were ready for the invasion, however, with guns placed at strategic high points around the nearly 10-kilometer (6-mile) beach as the forces landed. The ocean waters, as well as the beach, were also heavily mined by the Germans.