strained relations with Kyiv
Macron wants to expand arms supply

May 17, 2022 at 9:29 pm

Relations between President Macron and Zelensky are strained. Recently, the French effectively rejected Ukraine’s accession to the European Union. He also maintained regular contact with the Kremlin boss for a long time. Now he wants to deliver faster and bigger weapons to Kyiv.

French President Emmanuel Macron has promised more military aid to his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky. According to the Elysee Palace, he said in a joint telephone conversation that the delivery of weapons from Paris “will intensify in the coming days and weeks.” At the end of April, Macron promised to supply Ukraine with Milan anti-tank weapons and Caesar howitzers.

Macron also promised Zelensky additional humanitarian aid for Ukraine. He also spoke to the President of Ukraine about ways to enable grain exports from Ukraine despite the Russian naval blockade against the country. Macron also assured Zelensky that Ukraine’s application for EU membership would be examined at an EU summit in June.

At the beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the French president was reluctant to supply arms and held regular talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin to explore the possibility of a diplomatic solution.

In recent weeks, there have been frequent disputes between Macron and the Ukrainian government. Among other things, Selenskij accused the French president of being afraid of Putin. Macron angered Kyiv last week when he said it could be “decades” before Ukraine’s potential EU membership – and instead brought a “European political community” into play.