Zelenskyy meets with Macron ahead of Ramstein meeting

Zelenskyy described the conversation with Macron as long and substantive. The Ukrainian president also congratulated the French leader on the appointment of the new Prime Minister, Michel Barnier.

"The President of France expressed his condolences to the Ukrainian people over the Russian strikes on Lviv, Poltava, and other cities and communities," the Ukrainian president said.

Cooperation and new aid package

Regarding defense support for Ukraine, the two leaders discussed several topics ahead of the Ramstein meeting (scheduled for September 6 in Germany):

• continued defense cooperation,
• preparation of a new military aid package from France,
• potential joint production of certain types of weapons.

Issues of long-range strikes and defense needs

"I reiterated: we urgently need our partners' approval to strike airfields from which aerial bombs and missile carriers are launched, and we are counting on the unity of our allies in this matter," Zelenskyy said.

The Ukrainian president also informed Macron about the primary needs of the Defense Forces, including:

• air defense systems,
• electronic warfare systems,
• armored vehicles,
• artillery.

Other topics discussed

Additionally, according to the Office of the President of Ukraine, Zelenskyy, and Macron agreed on "future contacts, particularly regarding the implementation of the bilateral security agreement and the Ukraine Security Compact mechanism, which involves all countries that have signed security agreements with Ukraine."

It is worth noting that German media previously reported that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy would personally attend the next Ramstein meeting on September 6.

According to Spiegel, Zelenskyy intends to appeal to partners for further supplies of long-range weapons and air defense systems.

It was later revealed that on September 6, Zelenskyy would also meet with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Frankfurt.