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