On December, 17 a meeting with French Defence Attaché to Ukraine and Belarus, Colonel Andre Evrar, and Deputy French Defense Attaché to Ukraine and Belarus, Major Patrick Marnier was held. At the meeting the NISS was represented by Director of the Institute Olexandr Lytvynenko, Deputy Director of the Institute Oleh Sinaiko, and Chief Consultant for Foreign Policy and International Security at the NISS Vitaly Fesenko.
During the meeting, the parties discussed possible cooperation with French research institutions such as the Institute for Strategic Studies at the Military School (Institut de recherche stratégique de l'École militaire, IRSEM), the Institute for Advanced Studies of National Defense (Institut des hautes études de Défense nationale, IHEDN) and the French Institute of International Relations (IFRI) etc.
The parties also discussed possible mechanisms for ensuring a stable state of ceasefire and, accordingly, safety of people in the zone of disengagement of military forces in the Donbass. The importance of further sectoral specialization changes in the Eastern region of Ukraine, as well as attraction of investments for industrial convertion of this region was emphasized.