They will take off together from Paris to Brussels. French Presidents Emmanuel Macron and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will leave by plane around 8:30 a.m. on Thursday February 9 to go to the summit of EU heads of state and government in Brussels, the Elysée announced. In front of European leaders, Volodymyr Zelensky should reiterate the message he has been carrying since the start of his surprise visit to Europe. In London and then in Paris on Wednesday, he called for deliveries of combat aircraft to repel the Russian offensive in his country. The Ukrainian president has strong support among eastern EU countries, from Poland to the Baltic states. Follow our live.
Zelensky received at the Elysée. Emmanuel Macron welcomed the Ukrainian President on Wednesday evening, in the presence of German Chancellor Olaf Sholz. The French head of state assured his Ukrainian counterpart of its desire to continue French arms deliveries to Ukraine. “We stand with Ukraine. Firmly. And with the determination to accompany it towards victory and the restoration of its legitimate rights”he said during of a press conference. “We will continue the effort in terms of deliveries of defense means”he promised. “Russia cannot and should not win”added the French president.
The Ukrainian president asks for planes “as soon as possible”. “The sooner Ukraine gets long range heavy weaponry, the sooner our pilots get planes, the sooner this Russian aggression will end and we could return to peace in Europe”, said Volodymyr Zelensky. The German Chancellor closed the press conference, assuring that the allies will support Ukraine militarily “as long as necessary”. The three men then dined at the Elysée Palace.
A meeting with the British Prime Minister. Earlier on Wednesday, Volodymyr Zelensky met with Rishi Sunak in London. The head of the British government assured that theBritish Challenger tanks, promised by London to kyiv, would be operational “next month” in Ukraine. Regarding the supply of armaments, “nothing is excluded” and aircraft deliveries “are of course part of our discussions”assured Rishi Sunak during a press conference.