Menu

New French Foreign Minister Arrives in Ukraine to Discuss Defence Production and Cooperation with Kyiv

By
Photo: New French Foreign Minister Arrives in Ukraine to Discuss Defence Production and Cooperation with Kyiv. Source: twitter.com/steph_sejourne
Photo: New French Foreign Minister Arrives in Ukraine to Discuss Defence Production and Cooperation with Kyiv. Source: twitter.com/steph_sejourne

Newly appointed French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne arrived in Kyiv this morning, 13 January, on his first foreign visit.

This was reported by the French Foreign Ministry on social media and the French media BFM.TV

"Ukraine is and will remain a priority for France, despite the growing number of crises," the new head of French diplomacy said on Saturday.

 "It is in Ukraine that the defence of the fundamental principles of international law, the values of Europe, and France's security interests are at stake," he said during a joint press conference with his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba. 

The French Foreign Ministry noted that Sejourne arrived in Ukraine "to continue French diplomatic efforts and to reaffirm France's commitment to its allies and civilians". 

"For almost 2 years, Ukraine has been on the frontline, defending its sovereignty and ensuring the security of Europe. France's assistance is long-term," Sejourne said on his social media page.

"We are entering a new phase of defence cooperation with the specific goal of strengthening Ukraine's capacity to produce the weapons it needs on its soil," he added.

The French foreign minister is expected to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy today.

Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, France has supported Kyiv both militarily and diplomatically, but has sometimes been accused of not doing enough.

France's military aid to Ukraine is worth €3.2 billion, according to a parliamentary report released earlier in November. But the strong support from Western nations after the Russian invasion in early 2022 has now slowed amid political divisions.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned that any delay in aid to his country will significantly affect the course of the war. He has called for an increase in air defence capabilities, as Russia has recently stepped up its attacks on Ukraine's civilian infrastructure. 

As The Gaze reported yesterday, the UK Prime Minister also visited Ukraine and signed a historic security agreement with the Ukrainian President and announced £2.5 billion in military aid.

Similar articles

We use cookies to personalize content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyze our traffic. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners who may combine it with other information that you've provided to them. Cookie Policy

Outdated Browser
Для комфортної роботи в Мережі потрібен сучасний браузер. Тут можна знайти останні версії.
Outdated Browser
Цей сайт призначений для комп'ютерів, але
ви можете вільно користуватися ним.
67.15%
людей використовує
цей браузер
Google Chrome
Доступно для
  • Windows
  • Mac OS
  • Linux
9.6%
людей використовує
цей браузер
Mozilla Firefox
Доступно для
  • Windows
  • Mac OS
  • Linux
4.5%
людей використовує
цей браузер
Microsoft Edge
Доступно для
  • Windows
  • Mac OS
3.15%
людей використовує
цей браузер
Доступно для
  • Windows
  • Mac OS
  • Linux