France supports Ukraine's EU accession negotiations: Macron

PARIS -- France supports the "effective launch" of negotiations for Ukraine's accession to the European Union "by the end of the month," French President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday.

The French leader made the remarks at a joint press conference at the presidential palace alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, according to a live broadcast by French media BFMTV.

Macron also pledged that his country would soon "finalize a coalition" of countries to send military instructors to Ukraine.

On the same day, U.S. President Joe Biden announced further 225 million dollars in aid to Ukraine during a meeting in Paris with Zelensky, the French media outlet reported.

Earlier on Thursday, Marcon led a ceremony held at the Omaha Beach in Normandy, northern France, to mark the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings that helped defeat Nazi forces in World War II.