Zelenskyy arrives in Paris; tells France, Germany to provide 'game changing' weapons

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday arrived in Paris for his first visit to an EU member state since the Russian invasion almost one year ago, AFP correspondents said.

Zelenskyy, flying in to France after talks in London, touched down at Paris Orly airport aboard a UK government plane. He was due to hold a late dinner meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, joined by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

France and Germany have the opportunity to be "game changers" in the war against Russia by not hesitating in delivering heavy weapons and modern fighter jets to Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said during a visit to Paris on Wednesday.

"We have very little time. I'm talking now about the weapons needed for peace and to stop the war started by Russia," Zelenskyy said.

"France and Germany have the potential to be game changers and that's how I see our talks today. The sooner we get heavy long range weapons and our pilots get modern planes ... the quicker this Russian aggression will end."

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Western countries have scaled up their pledges of military aid for Ukraine this year with promises of hundreds of tanks and armoured vehicles as well as longer range weapons, but have so far refused to deliver Western-made combat planes.

Macron said operational matters would be discussed during the dinner, reiterated that Russia could not be allowed to win the war and that Paris like Berlin would continue to support as long as necessary the military support Ukraine needed to secure its future.

Ahead of Thursday's meeting in Belgium, Scholz sought to stress Kyiv's position in Europe.

"I am taking a clear message to Brussels: Ukraine belongs to the European family," Scholz said. (Reporting by John Irish, Michel Rose and Madelaine Chambers; editing by Diane Craft)