French President Emmanuel Macron and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky signed a bilateral security agreement in Paris on Friday, pledging civil and military support to Ukraine in its war against Russia.
Set to supply an additional €3 billion in military aid to Kyiv by 2024, the French commitment follows a €1.7 billion contribution in 2022 and €2.1 billion in 2023. Macron’s affirmation of support aligns him with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s similar pledge delivered earlier on Friday. The Ukrainian military, struggling against Russian forces, eagerly anticipates this aid while American assistance remains frozen.
The 10-year agreement includes comprehensive assistance to Ukraine, with aims to restore territorial integrity within internationally recognised borders, actively countering new Russian aggression, and providing support for Kyiv’s EU and NATO integration prospects. The pact reaffirms France’s belief that Ukraine’s potential NATO membership would serve to enhance peace and stability in Europe.
During a press conference in Paris, Macron confirmed his plans to visit Ukraine before mid-March. Alongside this, he highlighted a parallel agreement signed by Scholz and Zelensky, hailed as "historic" by the German Chancellor, expressing Germany’s determination to back Ukraine against Russian aggression "as long as necessary".
As proof of Germany’s commitment, a supplementary and immediate €1.1 billion military aid, a part of the previously announced €7 billion support scheduled for 2024, was signed off in the agreement. President Zelensky expressed hope that these agreements would encourage the US to act similarly. A $60 billion assistance package remains stalled in the House of Representatives.
Très clairement, il y a besoin d’un sursaut européen et de la communauté internationale. pic.twitter.com/wQEGhlvUqj
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) February 17, 2024
However, Macron stressed that these agreements are not alternatives to US support and emphasized the need for an alliance between the US, Europe, France, Germany, and the UK to defeat Russia. Discussions will continue at the Munich Security Conference – a premier annual geopolitics meeting held in southern Germany this weekend.
Zelensky’s European tour was overshadowed by the news of Alexei Navalny’s death in a Russian prison. Macron denounced the Russian government’s fear of opposition, exemplified by Navalny’s death, as a reflection of the Kremlin’s weakness.
Macron also pointed to Russian tactics of subterfuge, citing cyberattacks against western countries and concerns about their deploying nuclear weapons in space.
