Ukraine

Zelensky arrives in Paris, meets Macron on third leg of European tour

2 min read
Zelensky arrives in Paris, meets Macron on third leg of European tour
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and French President meet at the Élysée Palace in Paris on May 14, 2023 (Ludovic Marin/AFP via Getty Images)

President Volodymyr Zelensky has arrived in Paris late in the evening on May 14 for a meeting with French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, Franceinfo reported.

Pictures and videos published by Franceinfo show Zelensky disembarking from a plane at what was reported to be France's Villacoublay air base, before later photographs showed him meeting Macron at the Élysée Palace in Paris.

President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed on the evening of May 14 that he would meet with French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, adding that "Ukraine's defensive and offensive capabilities grow with every visit."

"Ukraine's connection to Europe is only growing stronger, while pressure on Russia is increasing," said Zelensky before the meeting, where he said that the "most important questions of bilateral relations" would be discussed.

According to Le Figaro, Zelensky will meet with French President Emmanuel Macron for a "working dinner," at which the pair will discuss "the support that France continues to provide in response to Ukraine's urgent military and humanitarian needs."

The visit comes amid a brief European tour by Zelensky. The Ukrainian president first visited Rome on May 13 for meetings with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni as well as Pope Francis, and then.

Zelensky then travelled to Berlin on May 14, where he met with German officials including Chancellor Olaf Scholz, thanking Germany for a new $2.7 million military aid package and reiterating Kyiv's plea for Western combat aircraft.

Alexander Query: Macron’s spineless realpolitik poses danger to Ukraine and beyond
Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed in the op-ed section are those of the authors and do not purport to reflect the views of the Kyiv Independent. French President Emmanuel Macron is not credible anymore. His latest baffling statement on national television about giving “security guarantees” to…
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