Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday that he will sign an agreement with Greece on gas imports and expects a “historic agreement with France,” at the start of a European tour.
Zelensky posted a video on Channel X in which he appeared in a train corridor, saying: “Fruitful diplomacy in the future.” The value of the contract with Greece was estimated at two billion euros ($2.3 billion).
The imports are necessary to compensate for the shortfall in Ukrainian production as a result of ongoing Russian air strikes on his country’s energy infrastructure. The deliveries will also be financed with European assistance, he added.
Zelensky hopes to strengthen the army
He wrote that the “historic agreement” with France, where the Ukrainian leader will be on Monday, aims to “strengthen our combat aviation and air defense.” He did not provide any details, but Paris has supplied Kiev with Mirage fighter jets, among other systems.
Zelensky said he would also visit Spain for talks “about strengthening our air defense and our initiatives with partners,” but he did not specify what he wanted from Madrid.
He announced the wish list, noting that air and missile defense systems are a priority for Ukraine.
Ukraine has been defending itself against the Russian invasion for more than three and a half years. The damage to the country is enormous, mainly due to ongoing air attacks by Russian drones, missiles and cruise missiles.