France is Ready to Increase Investment in Ukraine’s Economy

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba held a telephone conversation with Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs of France Jean-Yves Le Drian.

The ministers discussed the dynamics of diplomatic efforts within the framework of the Normandy format for the peaceful settlement of the Russian-Ukrainian war in Donbas. Le Drian praised Ukraine’s efforts to create the preconditions for progress in the settlement and underlined the invariability of France’s stance on supporting Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders.

In addition, the ministers commended the growing dynamics of bilateral cooperation in many areas, in particular, the increase in trade and investment. The parties confirmed their readiness to hold a meeting of the Ukraine-France Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation by the end of 2020 which would provide conditions for increasing French investment in Ukraine’s economy.

Ukraine’s European integration was a separate topic of conversation. Le Drian praised the results of the successful EU-Ukraine Summit and reaffirmed France’s commitment to further supporting EU-Ukraine relations on the basis of the Summit’s agreements. Kuleba underscored the importance of further integration of the economies of Ukraine and the European Union as stipulated in the Association Agreement: “I am deeply convinced that Ukraine and the EU are natural partners for building a strong European economy in the present-day world, especially amid the pandemic.”

Natalia Tolub