Results of the parliamentary elections in France will not affect support and assistance to Ukraine
The Deputy Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada Olena Kondratiuk met with the Ambassador of France to Ukraine Gaël Veyssière.
“I am glad to meet and start fruitful cooperation. I thank France in your person for military and humanitarian assistance, support for Ukraine's accession to the EU and NATO,” she said.
“We are very grateful for France's contribution to the vital protection of Ukrainian skies. In particular, the transfer of the SAMP/T air defence system together with Italian partners,” added Olena Kondratiuk.
At the same time, Gaël Veyssière stressed that France is now doing everything possible to provide Ukraine with a sufficient number of missiles for this system.
The parties discussed the results of the parliamentary elections in France, the formation of a renewed friendship group with Ukraine and the new government. The Ambassador assured that no drastic changes in the policy of official Paris towards Kyiv should be expected. France will continue to support Ukraine in its fight against russian aggression.
They also touched upon the issue of Ukrainian children deported by russia.
“I am grateful to the French Parliament for adopting a resolution in defence of Ukrainian children who are being massively deported and forcibly adopted by russia. We appreciate France's accession and active role in the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children. It is necessary to impose sanctions against russian officials and individuals – those who abduct, re-educate and forcibly adopt our children,” said Olena Kondratiuk.
The Vice Speaker clarified that Ukraine's special services have identified more than 200 such individuals. They are listed as ‘Child abductors’ on the Main portal on sponsors and accomplices of russian aggression.
The Ambassador Gaël Veyssière said that France plans to open a centre for comprehensive assistance to Ukrainian children who have been returned from deportation. “This is a wonderful and very necessary initiative!” Olena Kondratiuk supported this intention.
The parties also discussed the plan of the Italian Minister of Education, with whom the Vice Speaker met in Rome, to launch a large-scale project with the G7 countries to rebuild Ukrainian schools and provide them with bomb shelters.
“We are grateful for the special attention to this issue in the Chernihiv region, which is under the care of France,” said the Deputy Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada.
In his turn, the Ambassador of France Gaël Veyssière announced that his country had allocated 2 million euros to provide schools in Kharkiv and Kharkiv region.