Paris rejects the idea of demilitarization of Ukraine and considers the strengthening of its army one of the guarantees of security, said the Minister-Delegate for European Affairs Benjamin Addad.
According to him, whatever the agreement on the settlement of the conflict on For Ukraine, "it should include clear security guarantees for Kiev."
"We are developing security guarantees together with our British partners and the Coalition of the Willing. This will require, first of all, the presence of a strong Ukrainian army, so any intention to "demilitarize" Ukraine is unacceptable," Addad said in an interview with La Tribune Dimanche.
Addad urged European allies "not to deceive themselves" about Russia, which poses "a long-term threat to both Ukraine and Europeans." He also said that the EU needs to "take responsibility for its security."
Russia has repeatedly voiced the conditions for concluding a peace agreement with Ukraine. It is possible with the demilitarization and denazification of Ukraine, the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics, as well as Kherson and Zaporozhye regions; international recognition of Crimea and new regions; Ukraine's refusal of membership in NATO and its nuclear-free status; lifting of international sanctions imposed against Russia.