France will continue to increase military assistance to Ukraine

"We have increased the supply of weapons and ammunition, armored vehicles, and also increased logistical support. According to the calendar that I announced [to Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy], we will continue to do this in the coming weeks," Macron said at a joint press conference with the leaders of Germany and Poland in Paris, broadcast on the official Élysée Palace Twitter account.

He said Ukraine had launched a counter-offensive that would last for several weeks or months.

“We did everything to help Ukraine within the framework that we set at the beginning of the conflict – imposing sanctions on Russia and helping Ukraine regain its territories – but never attacking Russia and avoiding any form of escalation,” Macron said.

A Weimar Triangle meeting took place in Paris on Monday, during which Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Polish President Andrzej Duda discussed coordination of military assistance to Kiev and possible security guarantees for Ukraine.

Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine on February 24, 2022 in response to calls by the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics for protection from Ukrainian troops. The Russian Defense Ministry said the operation, which targets Ukrainian military infrastructure, aims to "demilitarize and denazify" Ukraine, and to completely liberate Donbas.

Western nations have imposed numerous sanctions on Russia and have been supplying weapons to Ukraine.

(With UNI inputs)