Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a security pact with France on Friday, February 16, after earlier in the day securing a similar deal with Germany hailed by Chancellor Olaf Scholz as a "historic step" anchoring support for Kyiv in its raging battle against Russia. Both agreements are part of Zelensky's drive to shore up help for his forces who are struggling to hold off Russian attacks on the frontline city of Avdiivka.
The agreement with France, signed by Zelensky and French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysée Palace, includes a French pledge for up to €3 billion ($3.2 billion) in aid for 2024, after €1.7 billion in 2022 and €2.1 billion last year, officials said.
They said the pact would run for 10 years, and notably strengthen cooperation in the area of artillery. They also said the deal was aimed at helping Ukraine with the "re-establishment of its territorial integrity within its internationally-recognized borders", and forestall "any renewed Russian aggression".
The deal is also to help pave the way toward Ukraine's future integration into the European Union and NATO, the officials said. "France affirms that a future Ukrainian membership would constitute a useful contribution to peace and stability in Europe," they said, quoting from the agreement.
With the Ukraine war about to enter its third year, Zelensky is set to make further pleas for financing and armaments at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday, where leaders such as US Vice President Kamala Harris have gathered.
Zelensky's European tour comes at a critical time, with Ukraine facing mounting pressure on the eastern front because of ammunition shortages and fresh Russian attacks. Fierce fighting raged around the beleaguered eastern frontline town of Avdiivka, which has become a main Russian target ahead of the February 24 anniversary of the invasion.
The long-term future of billions of dollars of Western aid is meanwhile in doubt, with the biggest contributor, the United States, in the throes of an election year. A possible $60-billion package of military aid has been held up in Washington since last year because of wrangling in Congress.
The EU has also admitted that it will only be able to make good on half of the one million artillery shells it promised to send by March. But Scholz underlined that the security pact inked in Berlin on Friday illustrates that Germany will "not let up" in supporting Ukraine. He also announced a new €1.1 billion package of immediate military support.