France and Ukraine to sign security guarantees deal this week
Photo: Office of the President
Ukraine and France are expected to sign a "security guarantees" agreement during Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to Paris this week.
According to AP, details of the agreement are not disclosed, the European Pravda reports.
The Elysee Palace said in a statement that this time will be Zelensky's third visit to Paris since the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, following visits in February and May 2023.
The Ukrainian leader will also visit Germany on February 16 and hold talks with Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron.
On February 17, Zelensky will speak at the main stage of the Munich Security Conference and will also hold a series of bilateral meetings on its sidelines.
According to the Office of the President of Ukraine, Zelensky's scheduled negotiations include meetings with US Vice President Kamala Harris, Czech President Petr Pavel, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, and other leaders of states and major businesses.
The Ukrainian negotiating team led by Deputy Head of the President's Office Ihor Zhovkva held another round of negotiations with France on concluding a bilateral security agreement.
Also, French President Emmanuel Macron postponed his previously planned trip to Ukraine on February 13-14 for security reasons.
Background
In mid-January, French President Emmanuel Macron announced plans to visit Ukraine in February and announced the supply of an additional 40 SCALP long-range missiles and "hundreds of bombs."
France already provided SCALP missiles in the summer of 2023. These missiles can hit targets at a distance of 500 kilometers. During the previous supply, then-Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu noted that the missiles provided to Ukraine were modified, reducing the range to 250 kilometers.
Macron also stated that France is "completing a security agreement" similar to the one concluded between Kyiv and London. According to the French president, France and the European Union "must make new decisions in the coming weeks and months to prevent Russia from winning."
