France’s new Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne arrived in Kyiv today for his first official trip abroad.
The visit comes at a critical time for Ukraine as its allies in Brussels and Washington try to secure funding that faces many difficulties.
Stephane Sejourne arrived in Kyiv for his first trip on the ground, to continue France’s diplomatic efforts there and to reiterate France’s commitment to its allies and to the civilian population, France’s foreign ministry said on X.
Sejourne, unlike Catherine Colonna, has no professional diplomatic experience; but he is a close associate of French President Emmanuel Macron and secretary general of the president’s Renaissance party.
On Friday, when he officially took office, he had already pledged to continue his strong support for Ukraine, which has been in conflict with Russia for nearly two years.
According to a parliamentary report published in November, for example, France’s military support for Ukraine totals €3.2 billion. However, as the conflict has dragged on, Western aid pledged to Ukraine between August and October 2023 has fallen by almost 90 percent, reaching its lowest point since the conflict began.
