Zelensky, Macron discuss arms supplies, increase in grain exports
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and President of France Emmanuel Macron agreed to coordinate further actions on the provision of security assistance to Ukraine by partners.
As the President’s Office informs, Zelensky held a phone conversation with Macron as part of the ongoing dialogue, the substantive talks lasted one and a half hours.
The President of Ukraine praised the important role of Paris and Emmanuel Macron personally in the adoption of the historic decision to grant Ukraine the status of a candidate for accession to the European Union during the French Presidency of the Council of the EU. Zelensky also expressed gratitude for the participation of First Lady of France Brigitte Macron in the 2nd Kyiv Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen on July 23, 2022.
The President of Ukraine informed the French leader about the course of countering Russian aggression and the situation on the battlefield.
“We are waging a war against a real terrorist state. Russia's planned cynical murder of Ukrainian prisoners of war in Olenivka is evidence of this,” Zelensky emphasized.
The Head of State expressed gratitude to France for condemning this crime against humanity and for its willingness to help bring the perpetrators to justice.
The leaders also discussed security cooperation in detail.
“The President of Ukraine noted the decisions made by France regarding the supply of new modern weapons, as well as the provided defense assistance. The parties agreed to coordinate further actions on the provision of security assistance to Ukraine by both France and other international partners, in particular as regards meeting the priority needs of Ukrainian defenders for modern weapons,” the statement reads.
As noted, the parties discussed the issue of macro-financial support for Ukraine and the important role of the French Republic in this process.
Zelensky and Macron touched upon the issue of Russia’s ongoing war crimes in Ukraine.
"All the guilty must be punished. This is our principled position," the President of Ukraine emphasized.
He expressed gratitude to the French side for the practical contribution to the efforts aimed to fight impunity of Russia, namely sending a group of medics and gendarmes to Ukraine to establish the facts of crimes committed by the Russian aggressor. In this regard, the issue of continuing the work of the specified group was discussed.
The President’s Office informs that considerable attention was paid to the participation of France in the post-war reconstruction of Ukraine, in particular to the participation in the implementation of the Fast Recovery Plan. Zelensky noted the importance of France's willingness to participate in the reconstruction of a Ukrainian region.
Moreover, global food security was discussed. The interlocutors welcomed the initiative on the transportation of Ukrainian grain and emphasized the need for its unwavering implementation. The practical aspects of increasing the export of Ukrainian grain by other logistical ways were also discussed.
The President of France informed Zelensky in detail about the results of his African tour, which, inter alia, resulted in the expansion of the anti-war coalition and the consolidation of international support for Ukraine given the full-scale aggression against our state by Russia.
Zelensky invited Macron to participate in the online Crimea Platform summit on August 23.
On a visit to Benin Wednesday, Macron said that Russia “is one of the last imperial colonial powers” that launched a new type of hybrid world war.
Photo credit: President’s Office
ol