The US pledged more military aid to Ukraine and apologised for halting supplies earlier this year, as France promised fighter jets to the embattled country and Kyiv urged the West to unite to help it beat a Russian regime that it compared to Nazi Germany.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy met US president Joe Biden and addressed the French national assembly on Friday, before visiting a French arms manufacturer and holding talks with the country’s president, Emmanuel Macron.
“We live in a time when Europe has once again ceased to be a continent of peace. And in a time when nazism is making a comeback ... When in Europe once again, cities are being completely destroyed and villages burned. When Europe is once again facing filtration camps, deportations and hatred that has become the new Russian cult,” Mr Zelenskiy said amid events to mark 80 years since the D-Day landings.
“All of this is now aimed against Ukraine. But it is also for the purpose of being aimed against others tomorrow ... Now, it is the same as when evil was expanding its aggression against neighbours in the 1930s. Hitler crossed line after line. [Vladimir] Putin is doing the same,” he added, referring to Russia’s autocratic leader of 24 years.
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“This battle is at a crossroads. At a moment when we can now, all together, write history as we need it to be, or we can become victims of a history that suits our enemy ... our common enemy,” he said during his address to French deputies in Paris.
I apologise for those weeks of not knowing what was going to happen in terms of funding ... But we got it done, finally. And since then, including today, I’ve announced six packages of significant funding
— Joe Biden
Mr Zelenskiy then met Mr Biden for the first time since US military aid resumed to Ukraine following a pause of about six months, when hardline Congressional allies of former US president Donald Trump froze weapons supplies. During that time, Russia took ground in eastern Ukraine against Kyiv’s outgunned and outnumbered troops.
“I apologise for those weeks of not knowing what was going to happen in terms of funding ... But we got it done, finally. And since then, including today, I’ve announced six packages of significant funding. Today, I’m also signing an additional package for $225 million [€208 million],” Mr Biden said.
“And I assure you the United States is going to stand with you ... You are the bulwark against the aggression that’s taken place. We have an obligation to be there,” he added, insisting that the US was “still in – completely, thoroughly.”
More than 27 months into Russia’s all-out invasion of his country, Mr Zelenskiy said it was “very important that in this unity, the United States of America, all American people stay with Ukraine like it was during World War II ... How the United States helped to save human lives, to save Europe. And we count on your continuing support in standing with us shoulder to shoulder.”
[ European Commission satisfied with initial Ukraine EU membership reformsOpens in new window ]
He also welcomed an unexpected announcement from Mr Macron that France would supply Ukraine with an unspecified number of Mirage fighter jets and train its pilots to fly them, and would train and equip a new brigade of Ukrainian troops.
Mr Macron has not ruled out sending French military instructors or even western soldiers to Ukraine, prompting threats of retaliation from Moscow.
“Macron demonstrates absolute support for the Kyiv regime and declares readiness for France’s direct participation in the military conflict ... We consider these statements to be very, very provocative,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
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