President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with the newly appointed Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of the French Republic, Stéphane Séjourné, who is visiting Ukraine for the first time.
The Head of State emphasized the significance of Stéphane Séjourné choosing Ukraine for his first foreign visit in his official capacity.
"Thank you for being here in Kyiv. For us, it's an important signal from France, from President Macron, that you are here in Ukraine right after your appointment. We appreciate this signal," he said.
The President expressed gratitude for the substantial and comprehensive support that Ukraine receives from France. He specifically acknowledged President Emmanuel Macron's leadership role in supporting Ukraine's international initiatives and making decisions that have strengthened the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
The President also thanked for supporting Ukraine's Euro-Atlantic aspirations and the capabilities of the Ukrainian military in the fight against the aggressor.
"I am deeply grateful for the assistance to Ukraine since the beginning of the Russian war and for the consistent support of both our movement towards the European Union and the strengthening of security and defense forces on the battlefield," the Head of State said.
The President provided a detailed update on the situation on the battlefield, emphasizing the most urgent needs of Ukrainian defenders, particularly the strengthening of air defense.
The Head of State acknowledged the high effectiveness of the military assistance provided by France, including the SAMP/T air defense systems, CAESAR self-propelled howitzers, and SCALP-EG long-range missiles. The parties discussed the continuation of security cooperation, especially in the production of drones.
When discussing Ukraine's European integration, much attention was given to issues related to further macro-financial support for the country and steps to prepare the negotiation process for EU accession.
They also separately discussed the preparation of an agreement between Ukraine and France on security guarantees, meetings at the level of advisors to the leaders of the states in Davos on the implementation of the Ukrainian Peace Formula, and bilateral political dialogue in the near future.