Zelensky is preparing for a surprise summit with Macron – POLITICO

The Elysee Palace confirmed that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will travel to Paris later Sunday as part of a tour of European capitals aimed at rallying support among Kiev’s allies.

AFP and a handful of other outlets first mentioned On Sunday, French President Emmanuel Macron will receive Zelensky on Sunday evening and the two leaders will receive hold talks At dinner before a potential joint announcement.

Earlier Sunday, the Ukrainian president was in Berlin to meet with German Chancellor Olaf Schultz, who confirmed that his country would send a military aid package worth 2.7 billion euros to support Ukraine.

“Now is the time for us to mark the end of the war already this year,” Zelensky said at a press conference with Schultz, “we can make the defeat of the aggressor irreversible already this year.”

On Saturday, Zelensky met Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Rome, thanking her for “helping save lives” by continuing to provide aid to Kiev. He also sat in for an interview with Pope Francis, who told the Ukrainian leader he was “praying for peace.”

The flurry of diplomatic visits comes as Ukraine calls on the West to supply its armed forces with more heavy weapons and fighter jets to support a long-awaited counter-offensive and help liberate Russian-occupied territories in the country’s east.

“We are working to form an alliance of combat aircraft,” Zelensky said on Sunday, as fierce battles continued near the disputed city of Bakhmut, where the two sides have been in a bloody stalemate for weeks.

According to Cave, her forces made a series of gains There in recent days, Zelensky vowed to recapture large swaths of territory currently controlled by Russian forces, while adding that he was open to Peace talks On the terms of Ukraine.

This article has been updated with confirmation of the meeting from the Elysee Palace.