Ukraine-Russia War: Zelensky Announces Visit to France Next Week
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced a visit to France next week to meet with President Emmanuel Macron, reinforcing Franco-Ukrainian ties amid the ongoing conflict with Russia. The trip aims to secure military support and involves multiple meetings, following discussions on security guarantees and recent geopolitical developments.
hassan benyoub 
Kyiv, March 19, 2025, 4:30 PM PDT – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced Wednesday that he will visit France next week to meet with French President Emmanuel Macron and participate in “several meetings,” as stated during a virtual press briefing. The announcement, shared on X by @ZelenskyyUa, follows a phone call with Macron, underscoring France’s continued support for Ukraine amid the ongoing conflict with Russia, as reported by Reuters and Le Monde.
Details of the Visit
Zelensky revealed, “I just spoke with President Macron, Emmanuel. We talk a lot, sometimes once a day,” during the briefing, which Macron interrupted with a call, adding a personal touch to their frequent communication, per AFP. The Ukrainian leader confirmed his trip, scheduled for the week of March 24, 2025, will involve multiple engagements in France, though specifics were not disclosed, as noted on elysee.fr. Posts on X, like @FranceDiplo’s, welcomed the visit as a sign of strengthened Franco-Ukrainian ties.
This visit builds on Macron’s October 2024 pledge to supply Ukraine with Mirage 2000 jets and train 4,500 troops, per The Guardian. It also follows Macron’s March 6, 2025, talks with Zelensky on security guarantees, reported by BBC News, amid France’s role in mediating the Ukraine-Russia conflict with the U.S., Qatar, and Egypt.
Zelensky on Russia and Trump
During the briefing, Zelensky addressed Russia’s stance, stating Russian President Vladimir Putin “doesn’t want a ceasefire” as long as Ukrainian forces remain in Russia’s Kursk region, seized in August 2024, per The Washington Post. This aligns with Putin’s March 13, 2025, comments supporting a 30-day truce but demanding Ukraine withdraw, as reported by The Washington Post.
Zelensky also denied feeling “any pressure” from U.S. President Donald Trump to make concessions during their earlier phone call Wednesday, where Trump proposed U.S. control of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, as reported separately. Posts on X, like @UkraineWatch’s, praised Zelensky’s firmness, while @Trump2025News defended Trump’s diplomacy.
Context of the Conflict
The war, now in its third year since Russia’s February 2022 invasion, has seen Ukraine regain ground in Kursk but face setbacks elsewhere, per CNN. Trump’s March 17 truce with Putin, targeting Ukrainian energy, has raised Kyiv’s concerns about U.S. pressure for territorial concessions, per Politico. France, under Macron, has maintained a firm stance, with Zelensky’s visit signaling continued Western support, as noted in a March 2025 Carnegie Endowment analysis.
Regional and Global Implications
Zelensky’s France trip, his second in 2025 after Saudi Arabia in March, per BBC News, aims to secure military and financial aid, with France committing €3 billion in 2025, per elysee.fr. Posts on X, such as @EU_Commission’s, highlight EU solidarity, while Russia, via @KremlinRussia_E, criticized the visit as “provocative.” The U.S., under Trump, appears to shift toward negotiation, but Zelensky’s denial of pressure suggests Kyiv’s resolve, per The New York Times.
As of 4:30 PM PDT, no agenda details are available, but the visit could advance peace talks or secure new commitments, with posts on X like @FranceUkraine debating its strategic value.
