Zelenskyy-Macron talks on France’s support for Ukraine, ‘victory plan’ and long-range weapons

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and President of France Emmanuel Macron briefed the media on their talks at the Elysee Palace on October 10.

Zelenskyy thanked Macron for the current and all previous meetings and the support that France provides to Ukraine to help the country in its defense war against Russia.

“I shared with Emmanuel our plans, the ‘victory plan’ and others; I told him about the situation on the battlefield… Before winter, we will need your support. We are grateful for everything you do for us,” Zelensky said. 

In further comments, the President of Ukraine mentioned that he had raised the issue of ammunition supplies and the lifting of restrictions on the use of Western long-range weapons for Ukraine, as Ukraine cannot fully cover the need for drones of its own production. 

“What we have now is not enough. We are looking for funding for this need—for domestic production—and we are also waiting for permission from our partners,” Zelenskyy said.

Emmanuel Macron, for his part, elaborated that the Ukrainian president had disclosed the details of the “victory plan” to him.

“It was an important stage for us, an opportunity to talk about the next weeks and months, the work of both military and diplomatic nature,” the French president said.

In response to clarifying questions, Macron said that the scope of France’s assistance in providing weapons and training to the Ukrainian military remains the same as in previous months. 

On October 9, Macron, accompanied by the French and Ukrainian defense ministers, visited Ukrainian troops undergoing training in the Grand Est region of eastern France and wished them success.

Zelenskyy arrived in France from London, where he had a several-hour conversation with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer about the “victory plan.”

The Ukrainian president also met with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in London, where he also raised the issue of Western partners’ permission to strike military targets deep inside Russia with Western long-range weapons.