KIEV, Ukraine: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is traveling to Paris and Berlin today (Friday) to sign security deals with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, officials said.
Zelensky’s trip to the two largest countries of the European Union comes at a time when Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine is entering its third year.
Ukrainian soldiers are facing an increasingly difficult situation on the eastern front due to a lack of ammunition and fresh attacks by Russian forces.
Zelenskyi and Scholz were due to sign a bilateral security pact on Friday, which includes “long-term security commitments and support for Ukraine”, the German government said.
The French president’s office said Macron and Zelensky planned to sign a security agreement at the Elysee Palace on Friday evening.
“This agreement builds on the commitments made in the G7 format on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Vilnius in July 2023,” Macron’s office said on Thursday.
At the time, NATO leaders did not set a timetable for Ukraine’s entry into NATO, but the G7 countries pledged to provide Ukraine with long-term military support.
“We are determined to defeat this bet that Russia is making” in the “long term that we will run out of breath,” a presidential adviser told the media.
Ukraine signed a bilateral security agreement with Great Britain in January, and Kyiv is negotiating with other countries.
These security agreements may include the provision of modern military equipment and the training of Ukrainian soldiers.
Zelensky’s office also said he will speak at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday, where he will hold talks with US Vice President Kamala Harris.
The Ukrainian leader was also supposed to meet with the representatives of the Czech Republic, Denmark and the Netherlands.
Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, France has been one of the main supporters of Kyiv.
Macron announced in January that he plans to visit Ukraine in February, but his team did not provide further details.
Macron is pushing France’s defense industry to switch to “war economy” mode and increase production.
In January, the French president called on European countries to prepare to support Ukraine in case Washington decides to withdraw aid.
