Macron to host Zelensky in Paris on Nov. 17 to discuss French support
French President Emmanuel Macron will host President Volodymyr Zelensky in Paris on Nov. 17 to reaffirm France's long-term support, Macron's office said.
The two leaders will discuss bilateral cooperation in the "energy, economic, and defense fields," as well as progress in preparing security guarantees for Ukraine under the "Coalition of the Willing" framework.
Zelensky's ninth visit to France since the outbreak of the full-scale war in 2022 comes as Russia intensifies attacks against Ukraine's power grid, and its forces are advancing into a key eastern town in Pokrovsk and in southern Zaporizhzhia Oblast.
European allies have also expressed concerns about a large-scale corruption investigation in the energy sector, which involves Zelensky's associate, Timur Mindich, and has led to the resignation of two ministers.
Paris has been a key ally to Ukraine since the outbreak of the full-scale invasion in 2022, providing fighter jets, artillery, long-range missiles, and more.
Macron has also been a leading player in the "Coalition of the Willing" and the main proponent of deploying peacekeeping forces to Ukraine as part of post-war security guarantees.
Zelensky's trip to France will follow his visit to Greece, where he is expected to sign an energy cooperation deal, a source close to the Presidential Office told the Kyiv Independent.
Kyiv has been urging Western allies to increase energy support and strengthen Ukraine's air defenses, as Russian drone and missile strikes are causing power disruptions across the country.
Most recently, Moscow's forces launched a combined mass attack against Kyiv overnight on Nov. 14, killing at least four people and injuring dozens more. Ukraine's Energy Ministry reported power outages in Donetsk, Kyiv, and Odesa oblasts.
