Blinken and Macron will discuss support for Ukraine in Paris

US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken will discuss support for Ukraine with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris next week, AFP reported.
"Secretary of State Blinken will meet with Macron to discuss support for Ukraine, efforts to prevent the escalation of the conflict in Gaza and a number of other important issues," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said.
France has advocated for a permanent ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, while the United States, Israel's main ally, recently allowed a UN Security Council resolution to be passed calling for a ceasefire during the month of Ramadan.
It will be the first visit to France in nearly two years by America's top diplomat, who speaks fluent French and grew up partly in Paris. Macron made an official visit to Washington in December 2022.
After Paris, Blinken will travel to Brussels for talks with NATO foreign ministers ahead of the alliance's 75th anniversary summit in Washington in July.
The Secretary of State will also hold a trilateral meeting in Brussels with EU leaders and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who is seeking to break away from his country's historic alliance with Russia.
"The US secretary of state and EU leaders will consider supporting the economic resilience of Armenia, which is working to diversify its trade partnerships and address humanitarian needs," Miller said.
Last year, Armenia was angered by Russia's failure to prevent Azerbaijan from retaking the Nagorno-Karabakh region from Armenian rebels./BGNES