Paris: French President Emmanuel Macron announced Wednesday his country’s intention to provide an additional EURO 2 billion in military aid to Ukraine. This announcement was made during a press conference following a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who is currently visiting France.

According to Qatar News Agency, President Macron urged Russia to agree to a 30-day ceasefire without any “preconditions.” He accused Moscow of showing a “desire for war” by imposing “new conditions” on the US-brokered agreement aimed at de-escalating tensions in the Black Sea and halting strikes on energy facilities.

Last week, the European Union (EU) revealed its plan to offer further financial assistance to Ukraine, amounting to EURO 1 billion (USD 1.1 billion). This aid is structured as a loan, to be repaid using proceeds from frozen Russian assets in the EU.