Volodymyr Zelensky in France

For the fourth time since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky was received in Paris at the Elysée by Emmanuel Macron. This was his first official visit Before that, he went to Normandy  for the commemoration of the landing. He will also participate in a peace summit, which will be held on June 15 and 16 at Bürenstock in Switzerland, in the presence of 90 heads of state and organizations.

After his speech to the National Assembly, he met the French president at the Elysée to sign two loan and donation agreements worth 650 million euros to Ukraine and support the energy infrastructure targeted by Russia. He also plans to continue sanctions against the Russian economy and the freezing of Russian assets. The priority areas of intervention will be energy and transport with support for the development of administrative capacities. He also met with business leaders.

The 2 agreements

– The first agreement should make it possible to provide the French Development Agency (AFD) with forecast funds of 400 million euros in loans and 50 million in donations until 2027, in order to expand its activities in Ukraine. It will allow AFD to “deploy everything to intervene in support of Ukrainian local authorities, in coordination and complementarity with donors already present in Ukraine”.

Furthermore, during the meeting in Paris with American President Joe Biden, kyiv received the green light to strike Russian territory on the front with American weapons. It should be noted that the two heads of state will meet again during the G7 summit in Italy on June 13 and 15.

– The second agreement concerns the establishment of a critical infrastructure support fund, endowed with 200 million euros to support French companies in future calls for tenders in the fields of energy, transport and water and sanitation, health and agriculture…

France also offers diplomatic support and additional aid. The president announced that Mirage 2000-5 (air combat aircraft) as well as the training of approximately 4,500 Ukrainian soldiers in France for several months.Emmanuel Macron also called for the release of Frenchman Laurent Vinatier, arrested in Moscow

For its part, the Franco-German arms group KNDS, which manufactures Caesar cannons, has formalized the creation of a subsidiary in Ukraine. American President Joe Biden announced $225 million in aid to Ukraine.

At the conclusion of his trip, Volodymyr Zelensky said he was grateful to France and its president for the aid granted to his country. Emmanuel Macron, for his part, supported the effective launch of negotiations for Ukraine’s accession to the EU by the end of the month.

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VERONIQUE YANG

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