France will increase its financial aid to Ukraine to $2 billion, the President of France, Emmanuel Macron, announced at the International donors' conference.
"Since the beginning of the war, France has provided 100 million euros in humanitarian aid to finance international organizations and non-governmental organizations on the ground. Already 800 tons of humanitarian and medical aid have been delivered to Ukraine and other countries in the region. Today France is ready to help. Altogether France has provided $ 1.7 billion in 2022 in favor of Ukraine," Macron said.
He stressed that "in more than two months since Russia's aggression against Ukraine, the humanitarian needs of the people and the country's economic situation require new efforts by the international community in response to the destruction of civilian infrastructure."
"Today, I would like to announce that France will provide $ 2 billion in global aid to meet the needs voiced by the President of Ukraine. France will continue to act in coordination within the EU, together with our European partners, and part of the G7 and international financial institutions to collectively respond to Ukraine's needs in the face of the catastrophe of this war," the French leader said.
Macron also said that the Ukrainian government has received a "direct budget support mechanism."
"We continue to support and guarantee investment and exports to Ukraine. This is very important for rebuilding Ukraine's economy at a critical time and strengthening the country's resilience in the long run," the President of France said.
He announced that France and its partners had launched an initiative to minimize the impact of Russian aggression on Ukraine.
"In particular, this is an EU FARM initiative. We want to deploy it in coordination with the African Union in the G7, G20, and our partnership... We are working with all our partners to alleviate tensions in agricultural world markets and strengthen solidarity regarding the countries that suffer the most from this impact. And we will continue to invest in local agricultural products. FARM is our coordinated international response... which aims to respond to the food crisis that will be a direct result of the war in Ukraine," Macron said.
The French president stressed that European countries must be "organized and ready to make efforts in the long run in the context of the conflict, which, unfortunately, has a risk of continuing."
Earlier, at the International Donors' Conference in Poland, the Ukrainian side mobilized $6.5 billion to rebuild our country.
Germany has announced the allocation of 125 million euros to Ukraine for humanitarian aid, and Finland will send Ukraine additional military equipment and provide another 70 million euros of aid.