French, UK military chiefs discuss ‘reassurance’ options with Ukraine leader

PARIS: British and French military chiefs travelled to Kyiv this week to discuss strengthening the Ukrainian army and ways to support the war-torn country after any end of hostilities with Russia, France’s Thierry Burkhard said on Saturday.

On Friday, Burkhard and British Chief of the Defence Staff Tony Radakin held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukrainian commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrsky and Defence Minister Rustem Umerov.

French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer are spearheading European efforts to send a “reassurance force” to Ukraine after any end to the war sparked by Russia’s invasion in 2022.

Ukraine has said Russia does not want a ceasefire.

The visit to Kyiv by the French and British military chiefs came on the same day that a Russian ballistic missile strike on Zelensky’s home city of Kryvyi Rig killed at least 18 people, among them nine children, authorities said.

Zelensky called the meeting with Burkhard and Radakin “fundamental”.

“We are discussing presence on the ground, in the sky and at sea. We are also discussing air defence. And some other sensitive things,” he said on Friday evening without elaborating.

Ukrainian drones strike industrial facility in Russia’s Mordovia, governor says

“We will be meeting at the level of our military every week. Our partners already have a lot of understanding of what Ukraine needs,” he added.

Burkhard, the chief of staff of France’s armed forces, said on Saturday they had discussed “reassurance options” to be provided by an international coalition.

“Together, we want to guarantee a lasting and solid peace in Ukraine, an essential condition for the security of the European continent,” he said on X.

The goal of the joint trip was to “maintain determined support” for the Ukrainian army which would allow it to continue to fight against Russian forces, he added.

Another goal was to “define a long-term strategy for the reconstruction and transformation of the army,” he added.