The newly-appointed French Foreign Minister, alongside his German counterpart, reiterated their countries’ commitment to support Ukraine “as long as it is necessary” in the face of the Russian aggression.
During his first visit to Berlin since taking office, Stéphane Séjourné stated to the press, “We are in complete agreement that we must support the Ukrainians as long as it is necessary.”
He added that this means “organizing coordinated initiatives at the European level” with a focus on “defending our values and interests,” without elaborating on the specifics of these initiatives.
In response, the German Foreign Minister, Annalena Baerbock, emphasized the importance of standing “by Ukraine as long as it is necessary until Russia withdraws” from Ukrainian territories.
She noted that Russian President Vladimir Putin shows no signs of halting this war and “does not want to stop.”
This joint stance from France and Germany comes at a time when Kyiv has expressed concerns about the hesitancy of its European and American allies in providing further military assistance to counter the Russian invasion.
In recent weeks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been making efforts to rally his allies once more.
During a visit to Vilnius on January 10th, he remarked, “Sometimes, the hesitation of our partners regarding financial and military aid to Ukraine increases Russia’s audacity and strength.”
The reaffirmation of support from France and Germany sends a strong message of solidarity with Ukraine in the face of ongoing hostilities and geopolitical complexities in the region.
