KYIV, UKRAINE: French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot arrived in Kyiv Saturday on a two-day visit aimed at expressing his country’s unflinching support for Ukraine.
Barrot arrived in the capital when it was on alert for Russian drone strikes. He will spend the weekend in Kyiv and meet with counterpart Andriy Sybiga.
On Friday evening, Barrot said on France Inter public radio that his visit was aimed at “reminding that France will not back away from any crisis, to say that what is at stake in Ukraine is the security of our continent, including food and energy”.
He had earlier said he would also discuss the issue of Ukrainian children kidnapped by Russia.
US President Joe Biden and the leaders of Germany, France and Britain on Friday voiced their “resolve to continue supporting Ukraine in its efforts to secure a just and lasting peace”.
Barrot’s visit comes days after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky presented Western allies with a “victory plan”.
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The Ukrainian leader has travelled to Washington, Paris, Berlin, Rome and London to promote his initiative, but has yet to gain backing on the specifics of the plan.
The plan’s central plea for an immediate invitation to join NATO is widely viewed as unrealistic.
Zelensky’s blueprint also rejects any territorial concessions, calls for allies to lift restrictions on using donated long-range weapons against Russian military sites, and suggests deploying a “non-nuclear strategic deterrence package” on Ukrainian territory.
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