Today at 01:03
The Chiefs of Staff of the armed forces of France and Britain discussed with the Ukrainian side the needs and tasks of the Ukrainian army in order to provide it with long-term support for reconstruction and development during their visit to Kyiv.
This was reported by the press service of the General Staff of the French Armed Forces
On Friday, April 4, the Chiefs of Staff of the French and British armies visited Kyiv to meet with the top leadership of Ukraine.
According to the General Staff of the French Armed Forces, the purpose of the visit was to discuss the needs and challenges of the Ukrainian army in order to provide long-term support for the reconstruction and development of its model.
“Strengthening the Ukrainian army is essential and is the first guarantee of the country’s security if we want to achieve lasting peace in Ukraine,” they said.
The statement also assured that France and the United Kingdom will work closely together to define and develop reassurance operations, as part of an international coalition, to deter Russia from a new large-scale invasion after peace is restored.
“The dynamic of Franco-British cooperation will continue in future discussions, making an active contribution to the security of the European continent,” the statement added.
Commenting on the visit, Chief of the General Staff of the French Armed Forces General Thierry Burkhardt said that the purpose of the meetings was to provide strong support to the Ukrainian army, which would allow it to continue fighting.
On March 27, in Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that a Franco-British mission would be sent to Ukraine to work on strengthening the Ukrainian army. At the same time, he added that work on the potential deployment of a so-called “guarantee force” to Ukraine was underway.
On March 28, Zelenskyy announced a meeting at the level of representatives of the general staffs in Ukraine to discuss the future deployment of military contingents.
The President stated that it would be “the first in-depth meeting” with “some clarifications and some details.”
