Ukrainian President's Official Visit to France for Security Agreement Signing
On the evening of February 16, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Paris for an official visit. He announced this in a post on the social media platform Twitter.
It is expected that the Ukrainian President will meet with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron and sign a bilateral security agreement, continuing the G7 declaration on "security guarantees" for Ukraine.
"Paris. Planned meeting with President Macron and an important agreement. Our cooperation yields results in protecting the lives of Ukraine and all of our Europe," wrote Volodymyr Zelensky.
It's worth noting that prior to his visit to France, the Ukrainian President visited Germany. There, he met with Chancellor Olaf Scholz and signed a bilateral agreement on security cooperation.
"Today, Olaf Scholz and I signed an Agreement on cooperation in the field of security and long-term support between Ukraine and Germany. This is an unprecedented document that confirms Germany's support for Ukraine in the amount of over 7 billion euros for this year. This includes armaments with specific contracts already concluded. The agreement solidifies Germany's position on sanctions against the aggressor, tribunal, and frozen assets. Thank you to Germany and the entire German people for solidarity with our state and people, for all the support and assistance," said the statement from the Ukrainian president.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz hailed the signing of this agreement as a historic step. He emphasized that Germany will continue to support Ukraine against Russian aggression.
The agreement specifically states that in the event of possible future Russian aggression against Ukraine, the parties will hold consultations within 24 hours to determine further steps. In the event of aggression, Germany confirms its readiness to provide rapid and consistent support to Ukraine in the field of security, including the supply of modern military equipment and economic assistance. Additionally, Germany will seek support from the EU in imposing economic and other sanctions against Russia and will consult with Ukraine on its self-defence needs, as guaranteed by Article 51 of the UN Charter.
The agreement also stipulates that Germany commits to continue supporting Ukraine on the path of reforms.