Zelenskyy will hold talks with Macron in Paris and take part in two international summits
On Monday, 13 July, the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, will visit Paris, where he will hold talks with the President of France, Emmanuel Macron, and take part in meetings of the anti-ballistic missile coalition and the coalition of the willing.
According to the programme, Emmanuel Macron will meet Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The presidents will then hold bilateral talks.
Before the start of the ‘coalition of the willing’ summit, the first meeting of the newly formed anti-ballistic coalition will take place. Participants will discuss ways to protect Ukraine from ballistic threats, issues of industrial cooperation, and the pooling of defence expertise among European states and companies.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy had previously announced that Ukraine would present its partners with a proposal for the joint European production of the Freya system. According to the president, this is a Ukrainian anti-ballistic system intended to be a cheaper and more widely available alternative to the Patriot system for intercepting ballistic targets. Eight countries have already joined the anti-ballistic coalition.
The summit of the coalition of the willing will begin at 5 pm local time. It will be co-chaired by French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. According to the Élysée Palace, at least 25 heads of state and government will take part in the meeting.
French officials have noted that the meeting is intended to build on and strengthen the agreements and convergence of positions achieved, in particular, during the G7 summit in Evian. The leaders plan to reaffirm their support for Ukraine’s defence, discuss stepping up pressure on Russia’s military efforts – in particular by combating the Russian Federation’s shadow fleet – and to undertake operational planning for security guarantees to ensure a lasting and sustainable peace in Ukraine.
The meeting will take place on the eve of the military parade marking Bastille Day, which will be held on 14 July in Paris. Twenty-five Ukrainian servicemen will take part, which is the maximum number permitted for foreign partners. The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, will be present in the presidential box.
