France boosts Ukraine aid to $3.2B, Macron to visit Kyiv

This announcement came during a joint news conference in Paris with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, where a 10-year bilateral security agreement between France and Ukraine was also revealed. This deal, according to Macron, will last until Ukraine possibly joins NATO.

Macron outlined that France had already contributed €1.7 billion in 2022 and €2.1 billion in 2023 in military aid to Ukraine, emphasizing France's long-term commitment to supporting Kyiv. This includes both military and civilian assistance. Zelenskyy praised the agreement as both ambitious and concrete, expressing hopes for Ukraine's future integration into the EU and NATO.

Addressing broader international concerns, Macron urged Europe and the global community for a unified effort against Moscow's destabilizing actions, stating that France is not at war with Russia but remains vigilant against cyberattacks, disinformation campaigns, and potential nuclear threats in space from Russia.

Furthermore, Macron announced his plans to visit Ukraine by mid-March, highlighting France's solidarity with Kyiv.

Regarding the reported death of Russian opposition figure Alexey Navalny, Macron condemned the Kremlin, attributing the incident to its "weakness" and demanding an explanation from Russia. Zelenskyy echoed the call for global leaders to speak out against Russian President Vladimir Putin's actions.

The Russian penitentiary service reported Navalny's death at age 47 in a prison colony, claiming he lost consciousness after a walk in the Arctic Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District, without providing further details.