France and Germany set in stone their long-term support for Ukraine
Volodymyr Zelensky signed a security agreement with Emmanuel Macron on Friday evening in Paris, who promised “up to three billion euros” in additional military aid for 2024 to Ukraine, in addition to the seven billion in support already announced. through Berlin.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (L) obtained additional aid of 3 billion euros from French President Emmanuel Macron (D), during a visit to Paris on February 16, 2024. AFP - THIBAULT CAMUS
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After German Chancellor Olaf Scholz during the day, the French president in turn set in stone a bilateral text on long-term civil and military support for kyiv. So much eagerly awaited support while the Ukrainian army is struggling against the Russians and American aid is frozen.
In this text concluded for “
a period of ten years
”, France undertakes to provide “
up to three billion euros ” in “
additional
” military aid
to Kiev in 2024, after support which it estimates at 1.7 billion in 2022 and 2.1 billion in 2023. Paris mentions in particular a strengthening of “cooperation in the field of artillery”.
The agreement provides for "
the provision of comprehensive assistance to Ukraine
" for "
the restoration of its territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders
", "
active deterrence and measures to be taken in the face of any further aggression" from Russia , as well as “support” for Kiev’s membership in the European Union and “interoperability with NATO
”. “
France confirms that Ukraine’s future membership in NATO would constitute a useful contribution to peace and stability in Europe
,” this new pact also stipulates.
Also read: Ukraine: Volodymyr Zelensky in Berlin and Paris to sign security pacts
The Ukrainian president, visiting his European allies as his country prepares to enter its third year of war against Russia on February 24, had previously stopped in Berlin on Friday. Olaf Scholz and Volodymyr Zelensky also signed a security agreement described as “
historic
” by the German Chancellor who assured his determination to support Ukraine “
as long as necessary
” against the Russian aggressor.
“
Two years after the start of this terrible war, today we are sending a very clear message to the Russian president: we will not relax our support for Ukraine
,” warned the German leader. Illustration of this commitment: the signed document contains additional and immediate military aid in the amount of 1.1 billion euros, which is a tranche of the seven billion in support already announced by Germany for 2024.
He also plans to support Ukraine after the war to build a modern army capable of repelling possible future attacks from Russia. “
Our security agreement is a truly unprecedented bilateral document
,” stressed the Ukrainian president in Berlin. This diplomatic escape is crucial for Mr. Zelensky at a time when the situation has considerably deteriorated on the Ukrainian front.
(with AFP)
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