U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to meet Tuesday with France’s foreign and defense ministers as part of a visit the State Department said would include discussion of support for Ukraine and preventing the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza from expanding.
Later Tuesday, Blinken is scheduled to hold talks with French President Emmanuel Macron.
The top U.S. diplomat is also set to express U.S. support for the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization as he holds talks with UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay.
The United States and France have been among Ukraine’s top supporters in the two years since Russia launched an invasion of its neighbor.
The State Department said efforts to bring stability to Haiti would be another topic on the agenda for the meeting of U.S. and French officials.
Blinken will travel from Paris to Brussels for a meeting of NATO foreign ministers as the alliance celebrates its 75th anniversary.
While in Brussels, Blinken is also scheduled to meet with his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba and NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg.
A three-way meeting of the United States, European Union and Armenia is set for Friday, with the State Department saying the session will focus on “U.S. and EU support for Armenia’s economic resilience as it works to diversify its trade partnerships and address humanitarian needs.”
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan will lead their respective delegations.
Separate U.S.-EU trade and technology talks will close Blinken’s stop in Belgium.
