French defence minister travels to Ukraine to show continued support

France’s defence minister travelled to Kyiv on Wednesday to show his country’s continued support for Ukraine.

Sébastien Lecornu was set to meet with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Ukrainian defence minister Oleksii Reznikov.

Lecornu’s visit came after he travelled to Warsaw where he approved an agreement with Poland to provide two reconnaissance satellites to help them to monitor events on the frontlines.

In the Ukrainian capital, Lecornu laid a wreath at a monument to remember those who have died fighting in the war.

France has sent continued military support to Ukraine and hosted two aid conferences to raise money for the country.

“Our support for Ukraine has been constant,” Lecornu tweeted ahead of his trip.

Many in Ukraine had criticised French President Emmanuel Macron’s efforts to maintain contact with Russian President Vladimir Putin in an attempt to seek a negotiated solution.

The French president told regional press in June that Russia shouldn’t be humiliated so that when the fighting stops, “we can build a way out through diplomatic means.”

Macron still travelled to Kyiv that month with Germany’s Olaf Scholz and former Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, where the leaders threw their support behind granting Ukraine EU candidate status.