Visiting Paris, for the third time, and Berlin, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will meet his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, on Friday. The two heads of state will sign a bilateral security agreement at the Elysée, the French presidency announced Thursday, February 15.
The two leaders will notably have the opportunity to discuss the situation on the front, Ukraine’s military, economic and humanitarian needs as well as Ukraine’s accession negotiations to the European Union, to which France provides its full support,” specifies the Elysée.
“As Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine enters its third year” on February 24, France thus reaffirms its “determination to continue to provide, over the long term and with all of its partners, unwavering support for Ukraine and the Ukrainian people,” underlines the Elysée.
Emmanuel Macron said in mid-January during a press conference that he would go to Ukraine “in February”. When questioned, his entourage assured that he would go to Ukraine soon, without further details.
Training of soldiers and provision of equipment
As part of the security agreement, which “follows the commitments which had been made in G7 format on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Vilnius in July 2023”, recalled the Elysée, three commitments can be made. They may relate to the provision of modern military equipment, interoperable with that of NATO, the training of Ukrainian soldiers or the strengthening of the Ukrainian defense industry.
The G7 countries had committed to providing military support to Ukraine, “in the long term” in order to help it combat the current Russian offensive but also to deter Moscow from any future attacks against its neighbor.
The UK was the first country to reach such a deal during a visit by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to kyiv on January 12. The countries of the European Union have not yet taken the plunge.
Continuation of negotiations
Ukraine is continuing negotiations with a series of other states, from Italy to the United States. Other countries have also joined the G7 initiative, from Poland to Scandinavia. So much unwelcome support for the Kremlin, which had already judged in July that such guarantees would “undermine Russia’s security”.
The situation is currently difficult on the ground for the Ukrainians who lack men and weapons, while a new American aid package is blocked in Congress.