For the ninth time since the start of the war, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was received on Monday at the Élysée by French President Emmanuel Macron. “This moment is important,” the French president said at the start of a joint press conference that began shortly after 1 p.m.
“I am pleased to be able to receive you in Paris today at this difficult time, I know this from this conflict,” he continued, noting that from the first day of Russia’s aggression, France had made a clear choice: “namely to provide firm and unrelenting support for Ukraine.”
Military agreement
According to Emmanuel Macron, Russia is pursuing a “goal”, namely “taking control” of Ukrainian territory. So, when faced with “obstinacy, intransigence, unacceptable attacks on civilians and energy infrastructure” and “faced with what is also Russia’s addiction to war”: “We remain determined and stubborn to achieve peace,” the French president said. “We will leave no stone unturned to achieve this,” he warned.
According to the French head of state, this determination was projected in “two powerful moments” of Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit, especially with the signing of the acquisition declaration. “Today we took a new step.
With this agreement, we continue to focus on rapprochement and integration of our defense industry to continue supporting Ukraine in the modernization of its armed forces which remain at the forefront and constitute Europe’s first line of defense and deterrence against aggression. “We are doing it in the long term,” continued Emmanuel Macron.
The President of the Republic then provided further details about this agreement. The agreement provides for “strengthening bilateral cooperation immediately and over the next 10 years, with decisive capability acquisition in the very short term: drones, drone interceptors, guided bombs, and production commitments by the end of this year and over the next three years.” He also mentioned Kyiv’s acquisition of 100 Rafales: “this is a new generation that is opening up after the delivery of Mirage 2,000 recorded a few months ago and the training of pilots and therefore we will deploy them”.
The French president then discussed a joint visit to the Paris-based headquarters of the multinational force for Ukraine. »Today’s agreement and our visit underscore the fact that we are ready to continue to help Ukraine fight back, but also prepare for what comes next and through the delivery of the capacities and commitments we have made as well as through planning, we have demonstrated that from the short term to the years to come, we are putting ourselves in a position to be there for Ukraine.»
Emmanuel Macron indicated that French support is not limited to the military field: “It is also civil, economic and humanitarian.” He announced the signing of an intergovernmental agreement and contract worth 475 million euros between Alstom and the Ukrainian Railways company for the supply of 55 locomotives to Ukraine.
“Strengthening sanctions” against Russia
Emmanuel Macron called for future exchanges with his Ukrainian counterpart to “continue to create conditions for a just and lasting ceasefire and peace”. They will follow “two lines of effort”, namely strengthening support for Ukraine and “increasing pressure on Russia as long as it remains resistant to peace”.
Referring to efforts to meet Ukraine’s urgent financial needs, Emmanuel Macron wanted to send a strong signal to Russia “which should not believe that it can rely on the exhaustion of the European community”.
“We are also determined to continue to strengthen our sanctions against Russia, together with the United States, to weaken its ability to continue its war effort. This also applies to the ghost fleet that we are still mobilizing, with the aim of continuing to coordinate better and thus hinder its functioning,” explained the Head of State.
He concluded by reminding that Ukraine “belongs to the European family” and that the road to the European Union “will be full of challenges”, but he had confidence in the “determination of the Ukrainian people to make it happen”.
