Since I am honored to make a closing speech at the Forum, I want to focus on the results of diplomacy, bilateral diplomacy. The numbers will speak for themselves, because sometimes numbers speak better than words. I want you to understand the scale of bilateral relations between Ukraine and France over the past two and a half years through numbers.

Since the beginning of the full-scale military aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, a significant number of contacts have taken place between Ukraine and France, which contributed to the consolidation of support for our state from France and the international community in the fight against the aggressors. In 2022 alone, there were 50 meetings and contacts at high and the highest levels, including 21 telephone conversations between the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi and the President of France Emmanuel Macron and two visits by the President of France Emmanuel Macron to Ukraine. And this is only in 2022.

When I took up this position, I was told that cadences in which at least one telephone conversation between the leaders of the countries takes place are considered successful. At the level of foreign ministers, only in 2022 there were 6 meetings, as well as 10 telephone conversations occurred. In addition, in December 2022, the Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal paid an official visit to France.

At the level of the heads of parliaments of Ukraine and France, 11 contacts took place at the beginning of the full-scale invasion. During 2023, a total of 36 meetings and contacts occurred at the highest level, including 11 telephone conversations between the President of Ukraine and the President of France, two visits by the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi to France, as well as three bilateral meetings between the Presidents of Ukraine and France at international events.

Already this year, we had the visit of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi to Paris and three telephone conversations between the Presidents of Ukraine and France. In January 2024, the newly appointed Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs, Stéphane Séjourné, made his first foreign visit to Ukraine immediately after his appointment, which is the evidence of the important place of Ukraine in the priorities of the French Republic. I would like to remind you that traditionally the country of the first visit made by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of France is Germany. This time there was a precedent, and it was Ukraine.

I would like to single out the work of the French Parliament, which from the very beginning of the full-scale invasion showed unprecedented solidarity with Ukraine and adopted seven important resolutions in its support. In particular, it was a highly important, historic resolution of recognition of the Holodomor as genocide of the Ukrainian people.

France played a key role in granting Ukraine a candidate status for the European Union. Also, the highest authorities of France support us on the way to NATO, and proactive position of the French side made it possible to reach a real result on the NATO summit in July, which is enshrined in the statement of the G7 countries regarding the immediate start of negotiations on the issue of providing Ukraine with bilateral security guarantees.

The support of French society is very important. And for me, the level of support for the latest ideas of the French president, aimed at increasing and accelerating aid to Ukraine, is very pleasant news for me. I see that most French men and women support these ideas and are proud of their country. We cannot help but welcome this.

In conclusion, I want to say that there is very important good news for Ukraine: France is our friend and will remain so until victory.

Last February, Emmanuel Macron mentioned the strengthening of Russia’s position. Everything that happens in Ukraine is important not only for Ukrainians, but also for Europeans, as it determines the future, our common future. Today, there are both challenges to be accepted and also challenges to be solved.

We invest in our security, in the security of the European Union and Europe. We will do more, we will do better, we will do it differently, and if possible, we will do it collectively. The panel discussions today showed that the opposition and the reformers are different parties and they do not trust each other.

Europeans should ask themselves who they are, what they have and how they can help reforms. During the second panel discussion, it was announced that the debate on this topic should continue. It is very important to have debates like the ones that have taken place today. They show us what we need to do today and how to improve our knowledge. We learn from each other, it is important not to imitate, not to limit our vision only to the front and international relations, but also to foresee different scenarios.

People working in universities and in civil society are now very important for all of us to be aware of the problems. Of course, there are also issues of time and action. We are making military, economic and financial efforts that allow us to understand the term “long term”. This is what gives us the best chance to end this conflict as quickly as possible, so that the cost is minimal, both for us and for the Ukrainians.

Putin wants us to think that time plays a role. But time is against Putin, even if everything shows that this is not the case.

The last thing I want to emphasize is the return to reality. We must see all the challenges of war, with its material realities and the issue of human resources. This is the war for distance, because there are risks in the sphere of political distancing. But the political system must remain democratic. We need to think about recovery after the war, and about inviting Ukraine to the EU. An optimist is not the one who does not see problems, but the one who acknowledges them and is looks for a solution.

Manuel Lafon Rapnuy, together with the Ambassador of Ukraine to France, made final remarks in their conclusive speeches at the Forum. Specifically, Mr. Rapnui demonstrated the “Gamechangers-2024” infographic, materials developed by the New Europe Center.