France plans to finalize a bilateral security agreement with Ukraine in the coming months, French Foreign Ministry spokesperson Anne-Claire Legendre said during a press briefing, Reuters reported on Nov. 29.
"We are working towards a conclusion of this accord with the Ukrainian authorities by the end of the year, start of next year," Legendre told reporters.
Reuters said that early 2024 was more likely, citing a diplomatic source.
France first announced that it was prepared to provide security guarantees for Ukraine on May 23.
The Group of Seven (G7) members then presented their long-term security commitments for Ukraine at the NATO summit in Vilnius in early July.
Under this plan, individual countries would provide bilateral support to help Kyiv repel the ongoing Russian invasion and deter future aggression.
The security guarantees would entail explicit and long-lasting obligations, as well as bolster Ukraine's ability to resist Russian aggression. The guarantees would also cover sanctions, financial aid, and post-war reconstruction.
Ukraine and Germany began bilateral negotiations on potential security guarantees on Nov. 17, the President's Office reported.
Other countries, such as Slovenia and Greece, joined the G7 declaration, rather than conducting bilateral talks. Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia joined simultaneously in August.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
(Updated: )
