French Foreign Minister Visits Kyiv to Reiterate France's Unwavering Support for Ukraine

France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot arrived in Kyiv on Saturday to reiterate France’s unwavering support for Ukraine.

During a press conference following a meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart Andriy Sybiha, Barrot said France will deliver a first batch of Mirage combat jets to Ukraine in the first three months of 2025, with Ukrainian pilots and mechanics also being trained to fly and maintain them.

He also expressed alarm about reports that North Korea is supplying troops to Russia, saying it would be an “extremely serious” escalatory step but also “confirmation that Vladimir Putin ’s Russia is struggling terribly to pierce Ukrainian defenses and resistance, to the point of having to call on North Korea to come and reinforce it.”

Since the 2022 invasion, France has been one of Ukraine’s staunchest military, diplomatic and economic supporters in Europe.

It is currently training and equipping what will become a full new brigade of Ukrainian soldiers for front-line deployment against Russia’s invasion forces.

"By resisting the invader with exceptional courage, you are fighting for Ukraine’s territorial integrity, but you are also holding a front line that separates Europe from Vladimir Putin ’s Russia, which separates freedom from oppression," Barrot said.

Barrot said he and his Ukrainian counterpart will be discussing how to advance Ukraine’s Victory Plan and win support for it from as many other nations as possible.