United States (US) Secretary of State Antony Blinken is said to be discussing support for Ukraine with French President Emmanuel Macron at a meeting in Paris next week.
This was conveyed by the US Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday (27/3). France is one of the largest arms providers for Ukraine, which is currently being hit by Russian attacks.
Meanwhile, billions of dollars in US military aid to Kyiv requested by President Joe Biden is still stalled in the House of Representatives led by the opposition Republican Party.
Apart from that, efforts to prevent escalation in Gaza and a number of other important issues will also be topics of discussion later.
France has advocated a permanent ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, while the United States, Israel's main ally, recently allowed a UN Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire during Ramadan to pass.
Blinken's visit to France will be his first in two years. Previously, Macron made a state visit to Washington in December 2022.
After Paris, Blinken will head to Brussels to meet with NATO foreign ministers ahead of the alliance's 75th anniversary summit in Washington in July. (no/no)