French Foreign Minister Arrives in Kyiv for Two-Day Strategic Visit
French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot begins a two-day visit to Ukraine, reaffirming France’s unwavering support in the face of Russian aggression, The Gaze reports.
Barrot’s visit came amid a new wave of deadly Russian airstrikes on Kyiv, which targeted metro stations, residential buildings, schools, and kindergartens.
Following a tour of the damaged sites, including the Lukianivska metro station, Barrot took to social media to denounce the Kremlin’s brutality and underscore Europe’s response.
“Last night, Russian strikes targeted four districts of Kyiv. Metro stations, shops, kindergartens, and preschools all bore the brunt of the Kremlin's deadly violence. As Europeans, we will continue to increase pressure on Vladimir Putin,” the minister wrote.
In high-level talks with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Barrot discussed urgent defense priorities, including Ukraine’s pressing need for enhanced air defense capabilities.
Zelenskyy welcomed France’s willingness to expand joint defense production, highlighting the upcoming launch of drone manufacturing projects by French companies on Ukrainian soil.
“We are ready to expand joint defense production. There is a decision by French companies to start manufacturing drones in Ukraine, and this is very valuable,” the President said.
Barrot also took part as an honored guest in the annual Ambassadors’ Conference, where dozens of Ukrainian diplomatic heads gathered to coordinate foreign policy priorities.
In addition, Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko and Economy Minister Oleksii Sobolev held detailed meetings with the French delegation, resulting in a series of landmark agreements.
Among them: a €200 million fund to support Ukraine’s critical infrastructure and economic recovery, set to launch in 2026.
According to Svyrydenko, demand for a previous French support program had tripled expectations, signaling deep interest in joint projects from both Ukrainian and French businesses.
In parallel, Ukraine and France signed a declaration to begin work on a new intergovernmental agreement focused on strategic sectors – defense, energy, digital technologies, and critical minerals.
The goal is not only to attract investment, but also to foster technological cooperation and provide Ukraine with greater access to European markets.
The discussions also touched on sanctions policy, with France proposing a more flexible model for future sanctions packages, linked to specific goals and timelines.
As The Gaze reported earlier, on July 18, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced an agreement with France to train more Ukrainian pilots on Mirage fighter jets, in parallel with those already undergoing training.