Volodymyr Zelensky and Emmanuel Macron are preparing to sign a bilateral defense agreement

Failing to go to the queue, as imagined, Emmanuel Macron will take on Volodymyr Zelensky at the Elysee. On Friday, the two heads of state will officially sign a bilateral security agreement between France and Ukraine. “This shows that our commitment to support Ukraine is as strong as day one” They say at the Élysée. It has stood the test of time two years after the Russian invasion began. Supporters of kyiv need to find a framework to register their action ” At the time “ And convince Russian President Vladimir Putin that time will not be on his side.

Before landing in France, Volodymyr Zelensky is expected in Berlin, where he will sign a similar agreement with President Olaf Scholes. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was the first Western leader to pledge in January. All these are set “Archipelago of deals sending signal of support”, We argue in the Elysee. Volodymyr Zelensky would undoubtedly have saved time by having a speech with his partners. But each country has its preferences, caveats and objections. In Europe, a decline in US aid, election campaign casualties and prioritization of combating the Chinese threat are raising concerns. “The question is how to help Ukraine in a situation” Support from the United States will decline, an expert on international relations summarizes.

In July, during a NATO summit in Vilnius, allies rejected the idea of ​​immediately inviting Ukraine to join the alliance. For France, the guarantee given by the latter would have been worth all the arms supplies to Russia. So complicated and so dangerous, the US and Germany responded, that they didn't want to run the risk of a spiral. The G7 countries are committed to formalizing their support, though the alliance still opens a path towards membership, notably by creating the NATO Ukraine Council. Other countries have also joined the process. Twenty-five agreements may be signed once Volodymyr Zelensky finishes his harvest.

Development of the Ukrainian military

The content of the Franco-Ukrainian text will be made public on Friday evening. The two presidents will then hold a press conference.In January, Britain signed a ten-year deal formalizing military and non-military aid to Ukraine. The text also mentions that both parties should consult each other. Within twenty four hours » In case of new Russian aggression. The agreement does not go as far as the solidarity clauses provided for in Article 5 of the NATO Treaty. To give substance to its support, London is scaling up its commitment: £2.3 billion in military aid by 2024.

The French contract must also contain figures. Paris wants to respond to its detractors who complain “Opacity” It surrounds French distributions. Germany takes the lead in Europe with €8 billion in aid to Ukraine. Despite competing rankings by the Kiel Institute, France lags far behind. Paris and Berlin look at each other in disbelief.

At Élysée, we also promise “Ask for Needs” of Ukraine. No new arms transfer should be announced by President Emmanuel Macron, who wants to establish a new logic of direct production of arms for Ukraine. So, Nexter has committed to deliver its full production of 78 Caesar cannons to Ukraine, if an order is placed… For now, only an order for 18 cannons has been formalized. In a few weeks, the Air Force will also begin basic training before Ukrainian pilots transition to the F-16. The delivery of French Mirages is not news: the Ukrainian army needs a coherent fleet, we tirelessly repeat.

If military success seems difficult to achieve today, Q's allies want to improve the Ukrainian military. By reaching the standard of Western forces, Ukraine could prevent another Russian attack. In the long run, the exchange of goods will be facilitated. Meanwhile, it is urgent to harden the veterans. 10,000 men have been trained by the French Army since the start of the war. On Thursday, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced the creation of a new joint training and analysis center between NATO and Ukraine in Bydgoszcz, Poland.“It will allow the lessons of war to be shared.”He explained. This will be a long term product.