Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Paris today for talks with his counterpart Emmanuel Macron on ways to increase pressure on Russia at a time when the war in the Middle East is monopolizing the world’s attention.
“The president is already in Paris,” Sergei Nikyforov, Zelensky’s spokesman, told reporters early this morning.
Emanuel Macron welcomes Zelensky to “demonstrate” that the war in the Middle East “will not divert” attention from Ukraine and that Russia is “deluded” if it believes it will benefit from this geopolitical context.
This 12th visit to France by the Ukrainian president since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the day after a stop in Romania, is aimed “to “absolutely avoid” the possibility of “being overshadowed” by the war in Ukraine by the conflict erupted by the United States and Israel against Iran, which has dominated the news since February 28, an adviser to the French president explained to reporters.
“The key message” is “to demonstrate that no crisis, no development will divert our attention from Ukraine”, towards which the support of France, “a reliable partner”, “will not wane”, this adviser said.
Those who, especially “in the Kremlin”, “believe that the war in Iran opens a window of opportunity for them”, “are deluded and this is something we must collectively show,” he insisted.
The Russian presidency said yesterday, Thursday, that the visit to Paris showed Ukraine’s willingness “to block” a peaceful settlement of the conflict, even as the United States proposed new negotiations next week between Kiev and Moscow with US mediation.
“The only obstacle to peace today is Russia,” the French presidency responded.
Voldimir Zelensky is expected at noon at the Elysee Presidential Palace for a one-on-one meeting with his French counterpart. A joint press conference and working lunch will follow. He is also due to attend a meeting with students at the Institute of Political Studies in the afternoon.
