US, France will support Ukraine for as long as it takes - joint statement

U.S. President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron said this in a joint statement published after a meeting between the two leaders.

"They [Biden and Macron] reaffirm their nations' continued support for Ukraine's defense of its sovereignty and territorial integrity, including the provision of political, security, humanitarian, and economic assistance to Ukraine for as long as it takes," the statement said.

It added that this assistance "includes the provision of significant resources to support Ukrainian civilian resilience through the winter, including stepping up the delivery of air defense systems and equipment needed to repair Ukraine's energy grid."

"They [the United States and France] also intend to continue providing robust direct budget support for Ukraine, and to urge the international financial institutions to scale up their financial support," the statement said.

In addition, Paris and Washington promised "to hold Russia to account for widely documented atrocities and war crimes, committed both by its regular armed forces and by its proxies, including mercenary entities such as Wagner and others."

French President Emmanuel Macron is on an official visit to Washington on December 1.

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