In his evening address on January 13, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that he discussed his country's defense needs during his meeting with the newly appointed French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourn, the Kyiv Independent reported.
The president said they discussed the joint production of unmanned aircraft and artillery and the further strengthening of missile defense systems.
Séjourn, appointed French foreign minister on January 11, made his inaugural trip abroad when he arrived in Kyiv two days later.
"It is very symbolic that the minister's first visit is to Ukraine, and at a time when Russia is trying in various ways to increase attacks against Ukraine and bypass our missile defense systems," Zelensky said.
The Ukrainian head of state and the first diplomat of France also discussed Ukraine's progress on the "Peace Formula" proposed by it.
Later in January, France will host an "artillery coalition" conference in Paris to strengthen the Ukrainian army.
According to a report of the French Parliament published in November 2023, France provided Ukraine with military aid worth 3.2 billion euros./BGNES