France to Increase Assistance to Ukraine
No one should doubt France's determination to support Ukraine as much as necessary. New deliveries of military aid are being prepared.
This was stated by French Minister of Foreign Affairs Catherine Colonna in an interview with RFI.
"France has repeatedly stated that it will support Ukraine as much as necessary for it to ensure the legitimate defense of its independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders. No one should doubt our determination to fulfill this commitment," noted Colonna.
According to the minister, the assistance provided by France is aimed at meeting the needs expressed by Kyiv. It primarily focuses on supporting Ukraine's defense against Russian aggression, with a particular emphasis on air defense and artillery.
"This support will continue and be strengthened. New deliveries of military aid are being prepared, taking into account the urgent needs expressed by Ukraine," the minister remarked.
Specifically, the aim is to strengthen Ukraine's potential in the long term and, as explained by Colonna, provide sufficient capabilities to prevent any future aggression attempts by Russia.
"It is for this purpose that the President of the Republic offered Ukraine the opportunity for France to jointly train fighter pilots with several European partners," said Colonna.
Earlier, French President Emmanuel Macron called on NATO to "give shape" to Ukraine's prospects for joining the Alliance.
As reported by The Gaze, Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Valerii Zaluzhnyi believes that fighting without aircraft is as senseless as confronting weapons with bows and arrows. He emphasizes that Western countries would never initiate an offensive without air superiority. However, Ukraine has not received modern fighter jets.
It is worth noting that on May 21, 2023, US President Joe Biden officially announced that American military personnel would begin training Ukrainian pilots on F-16 aircraft. On May 26, Bloomberg reported that the Netherlands might send F-16s to Ukraine after training the pilots. The Ministry of Defense stated that Ukraine needs four squadrons (48 units) of multi-role F-16 fighter jets to defeat the Russian occupiers. Currently, a "F-16 coalition" is being formed, consisting of countries that intend to provide Ukraine with F-16 fighter jets and/or train Ukrainian pilots to operate these aircraft. These countries include the United States, Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, Poland, Portugal, and Norway.