France will host an international meeting next Monday in support of Ukraine
Two years after the start of the Russian offensive, Emmanuel Macron will organize an international rally in support of Ukraine with leaders of other countries, Monday February 26 in Paris, according to announcements from the French presidency this Thursday.
French President Emmanuel Macron (right) shakes hands with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky (left) after signing a security agreement, February 16, 2024, in Paris.
via REUTERS - POOL
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A symbolic interview, two years after the outbreak of the war
in Ukraine
.
The French president will bring together next Monday "
several heads of state and government or their ministerial representatives
" in order
to "study the means available to
strengthen the cooperation of partners in support of Ukraine
", the Élysée indicated this Thursday , without further details.
Polish President Andrzej Duda had already announced on the Polsat channel that his French counterpart had invited "
a whole series of European leaders to Paris to discuss new proposals for solutions and assistance for Ukraine
" and that he would would return.
While February 24 will mark the second anniversary of the start of Russia's
large-scale attack
on Ukraine, Kiev finds itself in an "
extremely difficult
" position on the front, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky admitted on Monday.
The Ukrainian army faces
multiple Russian assaults
which it finds all the more difficult to repel as it suffers from a shortage of ammunition and
the freezing of American aid
, blocked by President Joe's Republican rivals. Biden in Congress.
The Ukrainian president therefore seems to have to rely more than ever on his European allies.
European
“
collective burst ”
In this context, Emmanuel Macron called on Europeans for a “
collective start
” during the signing of a bilateral security agreement with President Zelensky on February 16 in Paris.
That day, in Berlin and then in Paris, the Ukrainian president
signed security pacts
.
With the same objective: to strengthen the support of European countries at a time when its army is struggling to contain Russia's assaults.
Particularly after the
setback suffered by the Ukrainian army in Avdïivka
, a town which fell into the hands of the Russians after months of fierce struggle, and the first major victory for Moscow's forces since the capture of Bakhmout in May 2023.
Concretely, Emmanuel Macron has committed to providing “
up to three billion
euros” this year.
of “ additional
” military aid
to Ukraine, also informing of its intention to go “
before mid-March
” to Ukraine.
On the German side, the document signed on February 16 contains additional and immediate military aid worth 1.1 billion euros to kyiv.
The agreement provides for close military cooperation, help in the field of cybersecurity, the continuation of sanctions against Moscow and the promise of helping to rebuild the country.
Read also France-Ukraine bilateral security agreement: “It is economic, military and European integration aid”
(
And with
AFP)
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