Top military officials from France and the United Kingdom visited Kiev on Saturday for high-level talks aimed at ramping up support for Ukraine in its fight against Russia.
French Chief of Staff Thierry Burkhard travelled to the Ukrainian capital alongside his British counterpart Tony Radakin.
The pair met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi and Defence Minister Rustem Umerov to discuss further military aid for Ukraine and a long-term strategy for the restructuring of the Ukrainian armed forces, Burkhard wrote on X.
The army chiefs also discussed the deployment of international peacekeeping forces in Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire, Burkhard said.
France and the UK have signalled willingness to send troops to Ukraine as part of a so-called “coalition of the willing” to monitor a potential ceasefire, but are looking for further partners.
“Together, we want to ensure a lasting and firm peace in Ukraine, which is an important prerequisite for the security of the European continent,” Burkhard wrote.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky meets with Chief of the Defence Staff of France Thierry Burkhard during a visit by UK and French military chiefs. -/Ukrainian Presidency/dpa
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky meets with Chief of the Defense Staff of the United Kingdom Tony Radakin during a visit by UK and French military chiefs. -/Ukrainian Presidency/dpa