Ukrainian and French presidents Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Emmanuel Macron signed agreements on assistance for the restoration of Ukrainian critical infrastructure during a meeting in Paris on 7 June.
Macron and Zelenskyy signed the agreements at a joint press conference.
According to the French president, delegations from Kyiv and Paris held talks on Ukraine’s reconstruction and “decided that new instruments will be created to accompany” this process.
“An agreement has been signed on a 200 million euro fund for those companies that will invest in Ukraine’s critical infrastructure for reconstruction. We have also decided that 60 million euros from this fund will be dedicated to the energy sector and its priorities,” Macron announced.
In addition, Macron said that Paris is expanding the mandate of the French Development Agency to support projects in Ukraine at the local level and is sending 20 technical experts to various key Ukrainian ministries to provide technical assistance.
More countries interested in sending military instructors
Furthermore, Macron said that at least a few more countries are agreeing to the possibility of sending instructors to Ukraine to train mobilized Ukrainian troops.
Macron confirmed that he considers Ukraine’s request for military training on its territory legitimate, especially given the increasing number of those mobilized into the army.
“We are not at war with Russia, we don’t want escalation, but we want to do everything in our power to help Ukraine resist. So when Ukraine asks us to train mobilized soldiers on its sovereign territory – is that an escalation? No,” he stated.
The French president added that the West had every right to send instructors to Ukraine despite Russia’s threats because it was not about sending Western troops “to the front line” but about “recognizing Ukraine’s sovereignty on its territory.”
Macron went on to announce the formation of a coalition to “respond to Ukraine’s request” for military training on its territory, but without giving details.
“We have decided that we want to have a coalition, and many of our partners have already agreed … We already know that we will not be alone. And we will use the next days to organize this coalition as broadly as possible to respond to Ukraine’s request,” he concluded.
Preparations to train Ukrainians on Mirage 2000-5 will begin “in the coming days”
Macron also provided more details on the training of Ukrainian servicemen for the French Mirage 2000-5 fighter jets. The President of France said that the preparations to train Ukrainian pilots and mechanics for the Mirage 2000-5 fighter jets that Paris will transfer to Ukraine will start in the following days.
“We have agreed on the requirements, now the priority is to start the formation of pilots and mechanics, because this is something that will be launched literally in the next days in France. It is about technical training that will take place on our territory,” he announced.
Macron declined to talk about the number of Mirage 2000-5s and which countries are being discussed with for their delivery, adding, “I think you can understand that.”
“I can’t say more than that. We have always tried to report numbers only when we are already transmitting and when it is already being used. It’s more effective, it prevents our enemies from taking advantage of it,” Macron concluded.
Yesterday on 6 June, the President of France announced the sale of Mirage 2000-5 fighter jets to Ukraine within the year. He added that Ukrainian pilots would be trained in France.
In addition, he emphasized that France also plans to train 4,500 Ukrainian soldiers.
Read more:
- Macron: France to provide Ukraine with Mirage 2000-5 fighter jets and train pilots
- Reuters: France could announce sending military trainers to Ukraine next week
- Biden to meet with Zelenskyy in France and Italy this week
- Russia threatens to target French military instructors in Ukraine if they are sent
- France excludes Russia from Normandy landing anniversary celebrations
- Syrskyi: France to send military instructors to Ukraine
