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On Thursday, President Emmanuel Macron will engage in discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Paris, following his meeting with Ukrainian soldiers who are receiving training in France to combat the Russian invasion, according to the presidency.
Scheduled for 1300 GMT, this meeting marks the fifth visit by Zelensky to Paris since the onset of the invasion in 2022 and will serve as a renewed affirmation of France’s backing for Kyiv in its struggle against Russia’s aggression.
This meeting follows Macron’s unusual visit on Wednesday to a military camp in eastern France, the exact location of which remains undisclosed, where he met with a segment of the brigade of Ukrainian troops being trained by France.
The French Army is currently training 2,300 soldiers from the brigade named Anne of Kyiv, honoring the Kyiv-born princess who became the wife of 11th century French King Henri I, on French soil.
This connection offers a symbolic link between the two nations, though it highlights the historical context that contrasts with the present conflict.
“The training is going very well. The Ukrainian soldiers are progressing faster than we thought,” French colonel Paul, who according to convention did not give his last name, told French Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu and his Ukrainian counterpart Rustem Umerov who accompanied Macron.
Macron told the troops: “You have also made a lot of progress through your action and your resistance.”
Among the 4,500 soldiers in the brigade, 2,300 are participating in training programs in France, while the other 2,200 are completing their training in Ukraine.
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France will equip it with 128 frontline armoured vehicles, 18 Caesar cannons, “more than 18” AMX-10 vehicles, 20 Milan anti-tank missile posts and 10 large TRM military trucks designed for support missions in difficult terrain.
Macron also announced in June the delivery of an unspecified number of French Mirage 2000-5 fighter jets to the Ukrainians. Pilots and mechanics are already being trained on the aircraft that will be transferred.
France has already trained a total of more than 15,000 Ukrainian soldiers in various fields.
The Elysee meanwhile said the talks with Zelensky will be an opportunity for Macron “to reaffirm France’s determination to continue to provide, over the long term and with all of its partners, unwavering support to Ukraine and the Ukrainian people.”
Zelensky said he is also due this week to meet the British, German and Italian leaders.
