French President Emmanuel Macron has postponed his planned visit to Ukraine for the third time, dealing a blow to the diplomatic relations between Paris and Kyiv.
The French Presidency announced on Sunday that the visit, initially scheduled for February, is now expected to take place in the coming weeks.
Macron had originally intended to visit Ukraine last month to sign a bilateral security accord with President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The postponements have raised eyebrows, with the French leader’s increasingly critical stance on Russia and his call for urgent action from European allies to support Ukraine.
Diplomats revealed that a second date for Macron’s visit was initially set for the beginning of March but was subsequently pushed back to later this week.
The French presidency said: “The two heads of state agreed to remain in close contact, notably regarding the president’s visit to Ukraine, which should happen in the coming weeks.”
The delay follows a recent incident where a Russian missile narrowly missed Ukraine’s president and the prime minister of Greece in the Black Sea city of Odesa.
Macron, who was also set to visit Odesa, has heightened his rhetoric against Russia, accusing it of increased aggression towards France and Europe.
In response to the postponement, there are indications that the French presidency is contemplating broadening the scope of the trip to include other Western heads of state.
This move is seen as an attempt to demonstrate unity among allies and solidarity with Ukraine amid the ongoing conflict.
