- Zelensky expressed frustration at the delay in making key decisions on military support for Ukraine.
- Macron linked the promise to D-Day, promising Europe would not weaken its support for Ukraine.
- Zelensky addressed France’s National Assembly, stating that the war cannot end on existing lines, not 80 years ago.
Zelensky has long expressed frustration at the length of time Western allies are taking to make key decisions on military support for Ukraine in its war against Russian invasion forces.
“I’m sure that a day will come when Ukraine will see the same jets in our skies that we saw in Normandy skies yesterday,” Zelensky told French lawmakers, referring to Thursday’s commemorations for the 80th anniversary of D-Day in Normandy.
“Your combat aviation, brilliant fighter jets under Ukrainian pilots’ command will prove that Europe is stronger, stronger than evil which dared to threaten it,” Zelensky said.
Macron also linked the promise with D-Day, pledging that Europe would not weaken in its support for Ukraine. He did not specify how many Dassault-made Mirages France would provide but stated that Paris would send the planes and train pilots by the end of the year.
After meeting Zelensky in Paris on Friday, US President Joe Biden stated that Washington would not walk away and has offered a new $225 million in weapons.
French Warplanes and Training Support:
France aims to replace its existing Mirage fleet by 2030 with Rafale warplanes, but it also hopes to convince other countries that have Mirages to supply them to Ukraine. The Mirage 2000-5 is a multi-role, single-engine jet fighter.On Friday, Zelensky addressed France’s National Assembly, receiving several standing ovations.
“Can Putin win the war? No, because we have no right to lose,” Zelensky told the lawmakers. “Can this war end on the lines that exist now? No, because there are no lines for evil, not 80 years ago, not now.”
In the run-up to Zelensky’s visit, diplomats had indicated that Paris could agree to send military trainers to Ukraine given Kyiv’s urgent need to quickly mobilize more men. Macron announced that in the immediate term, France would train, equip, and finance an entire brigade of 4,500 Ukrainians, but he refrained from making any announcement on sending advisers for now.
He said such a decision would be made based on a collective decision.
“There should not be a taboo on this subject. At a moment when Ukraine has a challenge, we need to answer,” he said.
He said Ukraine’s defense minister had sent an official letter 48 hours ago to its allies, stating that it needed more help in training quickly and on its soil.
“There is a request,” Macron said.
Ukraine’s military leaders acknowledge that the battlefield situation on the eastern front has deteriorated. Two years of war have depleted Ukraine’s ammunition and manpower, and a failed counter-offensive last year significantly impacted morale.
Although the US Congress finally approved a long-delayed $60 billion US military package in April, analysts suggest that a severe worldwide shortage of artillery shells implies that Ukraine is likely to be outgunned by Russia for the remainder of the year as Kyiv’s allies ramp up production.
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