Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy shared on social media that he had a productive and focused conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron. The leaders primarily discussed Ukraine’s urgent defense needs, especially the strengthening of its air defense capabilities.
Zelenskiy said the discussion included the supply of additional missiles for French-made SAMP/T and Crotale air defense systems. A significant part of the conversation was dedicated to financing the production of Ukrainian drones of all types. France expressed its readiness to support Ukraine in this area.
The presidents also touched on the training of Ukrainian pilots on French Mirage fighter jets. Zelenskiy thanked France for continuing the training program, which will allow Ukraine to prepare even more pilots.
The Ukrainian leader informed Macron about the results of the third round of talks with the Russian side in Istanbul. According to Zelenskiy, the two sides reached an agreement on a new prisoner exchange. Ukraine is awaiting a response regarding its proposal to hold a high-level meeting before the end of August, with the mandatory participation of European representatives.
They also discussed Ukraine’s path toward European integration. The two leaders agreed to work on opening the first negotiating cluster between Ukraine and the EU in the near future. Zelenskiy emphasized the importance of Ukraine and Moldova moving forward in sync.
Finally, the conversation addressed Ukraine’s anti-corruption infrastructure. Zelenskiy stated that all relevant institutions are fully operational, and that his presidential bill guarantees their independence and effectiveness, while protecting them from Russian influence.
“Thank you, France, for your support and willingness to help!” Zelenskiy concluded.