**France to Provide Ukraine with $2.1 Billion in Military Aid**
French President Emmanuel Macron announced on March 26 that his country will provide Ukraine with a new military aid package worth 2 billion euros ($2.1 billion). The package is intended to help Ukraine continue its resistance against Russian aggression.
The aid includes anti-tank missiles, air defense systems, Mirage fighter jet missiles, armored vehicles, ammunition, and other supplies. It also provides for the production of equipment in Ukraine, which will help support the country’s military efforts.
**Coalition of the Willing Summit**
Macron made the announcement ahead of a “coalition of the willing” summit in Paris on March 27. The summit aims to bring together countries that have pledged to support Ukraine’s post-war security. Over 30 countries have expressed their willingness to contribute to the coalition’s peacekeeping force.
**Other Developments**
In other news, four American soldiers died in Lithuania during a training exercise near the border with Belarus. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte confirmed the incident on March 26.
Ukraine’s oil and gas production facilities have suffered significant damage from Russian attacks. The Energy Ministry has stated that these facilities were not targeted by the Kremlin.
**Relations Between Ukraine and the US**
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and French President Emmanuel Macron are expected to discuss security guarantees for Ukraine ahead of the coalition summit. Relations between Ukraine and the US have improved, with Presidential Office Head Andriy Yermak stating that they are “back on track.”
Russia‘s unconditional withdrawal from Ukraine is one of the main preconditions for changing or lifting EU sanctions, according to European Commission spokesperson Anitta Hipper.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has approved a loan of 270 million euros ($290 million) for Ukraine’s Naftogaz to purchase gas for the next two winters.
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