President Zelensky is traveling in Europe: In addition to the Munich Security Conference, meetings are planned with President Macron and Chancellor Scholz. This should also be about security agreements. A signing has already been confirmed.
The situation in Ukraine is tense, the Ukrainian army has not yet been as successful as hoped – now Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj wants to secure European support. Before the Munich Security Conference, he is visiting France and Germany, Zelensky’s presidential office said.
Meetings with Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin and with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris are planned for Friday, before the Ukrainian President travels on to Munich.
Signed by Security agreement planned
It is already known from the meeting in Paris that Ukraine and France want to conclude a bilateral security agreement. This was announced by the Élysée Palace. There are currently no details on the content of the agreement. It is expected that Chancellor Scholz will also sign a corresponding agreement between Germany and Ukraine.
These agreements date back to the NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania last July. There, the heads of state and government of the defense alliance agreed that the individual member states would conclude corresponding long-term agreements with Ukraine. Kiev has already agreed on a similar agreement with Great Britain. It specifies the scope of support, such as rapid and permanent military aid.
Macron announced that at the meeting with Zelensky he would reiterate that France is committed to supporting Ukraine in the long term. The two also want to talk about the situation on the front, Ukraine’s military, economic and humanitarian needs and the EU accession negotiations.
Meeting in Munich with Kamala Harris
President Zelenskyj will appear as a speaker in Munich on Saturday and he also wants to use the security conference for bilateral meetings – including with US Vice President Kamala Harris. The White House announced the conversation between the two in the Vice President’s official program for her visit to Germany. Harris will also meet Scholz in Munich.
Zelensky, for his part, has also explicitly announced meetings with Czech President Petr Pavel, Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte.
Zelensky’s participation in the conference had been expected for some time, but had not yet been officially confirmed. Last year, the Ukrainian president opened the most important meeting of politicians and experts on security policy via video address. Now he is taking part in person for the first time since the Russian invasion almost two years ago.
Georg Schwarte, ARD Berlin, tagesschau, February 15, 2024 3:28 p.m