KYIV: France鈥檚 new foreign minister Stephane Sejourne on Saturday renewed his country鈥檚 support to Ukraine, choosing Kyiv for his first official visit abroad, as the war with Russia nears a second anniversary.
Sejourne arrived in Kyiv as Ukraine saw another wave of overnight strikes from Russia, which has intensified its aerial attacks recently.
The visit took place as allies struggle to secure funding, with some worrying that Kyiv could be forgotten amid new conflicts, including between Israel and Hamas.
鈥淒espite the multiplying crisis, Ukraine is and will remain France鈥檚 priority,鈥� Sejourne said.
The freshly-appointed foreign minister explained that 鈥渢he fundamental principles of international law and the values of Europe, as well as the security interests of the French鈥� were at stake in Ukraine.
Sejourne, 38, who unlike his predecessor Catherine Colonna has no background as a professional diplomat, had already pledged continued support.
Aid promised to Ukraine between August and October 2023 fell almost 90 percent from the same period in 2022, reaching its lowest point since the start of the war, according to a Kiel Institute survey from December.
An EU aid package worth 50 billion euros ($55 billion) has been stuck in Brussels, while the US Congress remains divided on sending additional aid to Ukraine.
鈥淩ussia hopes Ukraine and its supporters will get tired before it does. We will not falter,鈥� Sejourne added.
But Russia, bolstering its arsenal, has geared up for a long war and reoriented its economy.
It has in recent weeks intensified its aerial assaults on the war-torn country.
Russia launched 40 missiles and drones over the country in an overnight barrage, the Ukrainian air force said.
It destroyed eight missiles and disabled over 20 devices.
鈥淓ither they fell in the fields, they were detonated in the air, or they were affected by means of radio-electronic warfare of our defense forces,鈥� air force spokesman Yuri Ignat said on television.
Russia said it targeted places producing ammunition and drones and had hit 鈥渁ll designated facilities.鈥�
Ukrainian authorities did not report any dead in the latest barrage but one civilian was wounded in the Sumy region.
In a press conference alongside Sejourne, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba praised the minister鈥檚 鈥渋mportant鈥� visit immediately after his appointment, and despite the Russian strikes.
鈥淚 am grateful to you for your courage, for the fact that he did not turn around on the way,鈥� Kuleba said.
He added that they had 鈥渄iscussed the further supply of systems and missiles to protect the Ukrainian sky, as well as the supply of drones to Ukraine.鈥�
France鈥檚 military support to Ukraine amounts to 3.2 billion euro, according to a parliamentary report published in November.
France has provided artillery and air defense means to Ukraine, Sejourne said.
鈥淲e are entering a new phase of defense cooperation鈥� aiming to 鈥渟trengthen Ukraine鈥檚 capacity to produce the weapons it needs on its own soil,鈥� he added.
Kuleba confirmed that the two countries had agreed to 鈥渨ork on creating the most favorable conditions for the interaction of our defense companies鈥� including legally.
The day before, Kyiv had seen the visit of British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who announced a new multibillion-dollar aid package for Ukraine and pledged London鈥檚 support for a decade.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky hailed the 鈥渦nprecedented鈥� 10-year security cooperation agreement as well as the 拢2.5 billion ($3.2 billion) in new military aid earmarked for 2024.