Biden and Zelensky to meet in Paris amid rising tensions

The US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan confirmed on Tuesday that the president of the USA, Joe Biden, will meet with the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, during his visit to France.

Sullivan announced the meeting between the presidents of the USA and Ukraine during a briefing on board the presidential plane, Air Force One, en route to Paris. Zelensky and Biden will participate on Thursday in ceremonies commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Allied landings in Normandy. Sullivan did not disclose when and where the meeting will take place.

However, he said that the USA is focused on providing Ukraine with weapons, especially components of the air defence system. He simultaneously ruled out sending military instructors to Ukraine.

Biden's advisor assessed that although Ukraine found itself in a "hole" due to a several-month stoppage in American arms deliveries, it is now "digging out" of it thanks to the resumption of deliveries and has strengthened its positions around Kharkiv and in Donbas.

Speaking about planned talks with French President Emmanuel Macron, Sullivan stated that the USA would try to "push hard" the issue of using primarily frozen Russian assets in Europe to help Ukraine. This is also expected to be the main topic of discussion at the upcoming G7 leaders' summit in Apulia, Italy.

Sullivan also referred to Israel's proposal for a ceasefire and potential permanent end to fighting in Gaza. As he stated, despite conflicting signals on this topic from various Israeli politicians, what matters is that the Israeli authorities made a formal and written proposal. He added that Washington is still awaiting a formal response from Hamas on this matter, and CIA Director Bill Burns has been sent to Qatar, which mediates contacts with Hamas.