France: France has committed to sending additional light tanks and armoured vehicles to Ukraine and will train its soldiers to use them effectively. This decision was made following a meeting between Ukrainian President Mr. Volodymyr Zelenskyy and French President Mr. Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace in Paris.

“In the coming weeks, France will train and equip several battalions with tens of armoured vehicles and light tanks, including the AMX-10RC,” the two leaders said in a joint statement after some three hours of talks.

Mr. Macron reaffirmed that France will continue to provide political, financial, humanitarian, and military support to Ukraine for as long as necessary.

Paris would also focus its efforts on “supporting Ukraine’s air defence capacities in order to defend its population against Russian strikes”. The statement also warned of enhanced sanctions.

“Ukraine and France agree on the need to increase collective pressure on Russia through further sanctions to weaken Russia’s ability to continue its illegal war of aggression,” the statement further added.

The visit to Paris was part of Mr.  Zelenskyy’s whirlwind weekend tour of several key European allies to drum up military and financial support ahead of an expected major Ukrainian counteroffensive against Russian forces.

According to Mr. Zelenskyy, after securing a new $3 billion military package from Germany, Kyiv and its allies could make a Russian defeat “irreversible” as early as this year.

“Paris. With each visit, Ukraine’s defence and offensive capabilities are expanding,” Mr. Zelenskyy tweeted as he flew into the Villacoublay airbase.

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