Europe 1 with AFP 5:45 p.m., March 17, 2022
During an interview with his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kouleba, Jean-Yves Le Drian explained that he wanted to help financially and announced that France will release 300 million euros in the coming days.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs also announced that he wanted to open discussions to guarantee the security of Ukrainian nuclear sites.
France will release aid of 300 million euros for Ukraine, which has been facing an attack from Russia since February 24, the French Foreign Ministry announced on Thursday.
The head of French diplomacy Jean-Yves Le Drian confirmed, during an interview with his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kouleba, "the release in the coming days of a financial assistance envelope of 300 million euros, in accordance with the commitment made" by President Emmanuel Macron to his counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky.
Le Drian wants to raise the nuclear issue
France also delivers defense equipment and fuel support to Ukrainian forces.
Ukraine enjoys massive support from the United States and other NATO member countries.
Washington thus announced a military envelope of one billion dollars in one week.
Jean-Yves Le Drian also pledged to "continue France's efforts at European level to increase the cost for Russia of the continuation of its military operations", added the ministry.
He also mentioned "the importance of the discussions undertaken under the aegis of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) concerning the security and safety of civil nuclear installations in Ukraine".