French and British troops spearhead Ukraine ceasefire efforts

• French and British troops will be key participants in the contingent overseeing the ceasefire in Ukraine. The work on its establishment will last for about another month.
• Meeting in Kyiv: Chiefs of the General Staffs of France and the United Kingdom met with the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and President Zelensky to discuss the details of the contingent.
• Russian attacks: Despite the agreement to suspend attacks on energy infrastructure, Russia struck a heating plant in Kherson, highlighting the difficulties in implementing agreements.

President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that French troops will be among the first in the contingent overseeing a potential ceasefire in Ukraine. The work on its establishment, also conducted with the United Kingdom, will last for about another month.

Zelensky emphasized that France and the United Kingdom are the main representatives of the European contingent. "I am absolutely confident that (French and British troops) will be among the first. French and British troops will be among the first to arrive in Ukraine. They are the main representatives of the European continent," he said.

On Friday, a meeting took place in Kyiv involving the Chiefs of the General Staff of the armed forces of France and the United Kingdom with the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and President Zelensky.

The talks focused on the details of the contingent, but Zelensky did not reveal all the specifics, noting that this is just the beginning of the work. However, he mentioned that within the framework of security guarantees for Ukraine, the presence of foreign partners is being discussed "on the ground, in the air, and at sea, as well as air defence. And some other delicate matters."

Zelensky reported that despite the agreement between Ukraine and Russia to suspend attacks on energy infrastructure, Russian troops struck a heating plant in Kherson on Friday.

The President emphasized that Russian promises end with missiles and drones, which complicates the implementation of agreements. He reiterated that he is not afraid of direct negotiations with Russia. "We believe that the ceasefire should be unconditional, and after that, we can talk in any format. But for that, the Russians must not be killers, but be ready for diplomacy. So far, they are simply demons," he said.

Additionally, Zelensky mentioned ongoing talks concerning the agreement on US access to Ukraine's resources. Kyiv is striving for a fair and partnership-based agreement, and a law firm will represent Ukraine in the discussions.