France to follow Britain in signing agreement on security guarantees with Ukraine

French President Emmanuel Macron and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy are set to sign a bilateral agreement on security guarantees, the Associated Press reports.

The document is expected to be signed on Friday 16 February.

This is the second agreement to implement the agreements reached at last year's NATO summer summit in Vilnius between Ukraine, the Group of Seven and the accession states.

The President of Ukraine will visit France and Germany, where he will hold talks with Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Zelenskyy will also take part in the Munich Security Conference, where he is scheduled to hold talks with US Vice President Kamala Harris.

On 12 January, Zelenskyy and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak sign a security cooperation agreement. London provides Kyiv with a £2.5 billion ($3.2 billion) aid package. Part of this money will be used to buy reconnaissance drones and attack drones.

NATO countries have agreed to provide Ukraine with security guarantees at the summit in Vilnius in 2023. The bilateral commitments should formalise "long-term support in defending its sovereignty and territorial integrity, rebuilding its economy, protecting its citizens, and seeking to integrate into the Euro-Atlantic community," reads the declaration adopted by the G7 countries, the leaders of the European Council and the European Commission.

Background. As reported, Zelenskyy spoke with Macron about preparing a document on security guarantees. They also discussed Ukraine's defence needs, including drones, artillery systems and shells.