“As Russian strikes intensify on the front line and against energy infrastructure, the two presidents will discuss the situation on the ground,” the presidential palace said.
The meeting between the two leaders is set to take place after the D-Day commemorations in Normandy, which Zelensky is also attending.
US President Joe Biden will also meet Zelensky in Normandy, this week and again at the G7 meeting in Italy to discuss Kyiv’s fight against Russia, the White House has revealed.
While in Normandy for the 80th anniversary of the World War II D-Day landings this week, Biden will ‘have the opportunity to sit down with President Zelensky’ National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told reporters travelling to Paris.
“He’ll have an engagement with him to talk about the state of play in Ukraine and how we can continue and deepen our support for Ukraine,” Sullivan said.
The double show of support comes after Biden faced criticism for saying he would skip an upcoming Ukrainian peace summit in Switzerland to attend an election fundraiser featuring Hollywood stars George Clooney and Julia Roberts instead.
Zelensky will also deliver a speech in France’s National Assembly and meet speaker of the lower house Yael Braun-Pivet, who visited Ukraine in March.
News of his speech met with criticism from the opposition, with the leader of right-wing Les Républicains in parliament, Olivier Marleix, saying it was ‘inappropriate’ to invite Zelensky to speak just days before the upcoming European elections.
Braun-Pivet said the date of his visit was, “on the occasion of the 80th anniversary” of the D-Day landings.
France hosted a conference in February on providing support for Ukraine, after which Macron announced measures to provide more weapons to Kyiv and did not rule out sending soldiers to Ukraine – sparking controversy among his allies.
Moscow’s top diplomat warned that French military instructors training soldiers in Ukraine would be a “legitimate target” for Russian strikes, amid reports France could send trainers to the country.
Paris does not officially have military personnel assisting or training Ukrainian forces in Ukraine at the moment, but Kyiv said last week it was ‘in talks’ with France on the issue.
Biden is also set to see Zelensky again at the meeting of the Group of Seven leading economies in Bari, Italy, from June 13th-15th, which will focus on using frozen Russian funds to support Ukraine’s war effort, he said.
“In the course of a little more than a week, the president will have two substantive engagements with President Zelensky,” Sullivan said.
Biden will not attend the Ukraine summit in Lucerne, Switzerland, immediately after the G7. Zelensky has said a no-show would boost Russian President Vladimir Putin.
US Vice President Kamala Harris and Sullivan will attend the Swiss summit instead.
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