French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot arrived today for a two-day visit to the Ukrainian capital Kiev to demonstrate France's solidarity with Ukraine, Agence France-Presse reported, BTA reports.
During his visit, Barrot will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiga and newly appointed Prime Minister Yulia Sviridenko.
“Following the imposition of unprecedented sanctions by France and the EU against the Russian regime, the minister will demonstrate France's support for Ukraine“, the French Foreign Ministry said in an official statement.
The visits take place in the context of a new, 14th, package of sanctions imposed by the European Union on Friday. Among them is a measure to reduce by 15% the price ceiling for Russian oil exported to third countries, part of efforts to limit Russian revenues used to wage the war.
Barrot arrived in Kiev shortly after an airstrike over the city was lifted following a Russian nighttime attack that killed at least one person.
The French foreign minister will also visit the Chernobyl nuclear power plant during his visit. The visit underscores concerns about the security of Ukraine's energy infrastructure, which has been regularly targeted by Russian strikes, threatening not only Ukraine but the stability of all of Europe.