Zelenskyy is in France with more asks, and some skepticism

President Joe Biden’s grand promises to stick with Ukraine to the end during his trip to France aren’t enough for Kyiv, which will keep pushing the U.S. and its other allies to do more to help turn the war in Ukraine’s favor.

Following a ceremony commemorating the 80th anniversary of D-Day on Thursday, Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met Friday at a Paris hotel. And Biden assured Zelenskyy that the U.S. is in the fight with Ukraine to the end.

“I will assure you, the United States is going to stand with you,” Biden said in a brief appearance before reporters at the outset of their meeting. “You are the bulwark against the aggression that is taking place. We have an obligation to be there. … We’re still in, completely, thoroughly.”

Zelenskyy thanked the U.S. for its support, but he also noted that there was more to discuss. He said he didn’t want to share certain updates about the war while members of the press were in the room but that he planned to bring them up with Biden. “There are some details on the battlefield you need to hear from us,” he said. Their private meeting lasted 30 minutes.

Zelenskyy is already scoring some wins on his trip. Biden announced that he’s signing a new $225 million Ukraine package Friday, some of which will go to fixing Ukraine’s electric grid. The package also includes artillery ammunition, air defense missiles and anti-tank weapons, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced Friday.

French President Emmanuel Macron also announced Thursday that Paris will help train 4,500 Ukrainian soldiers and pilots, and give a number of Mirage 2000 fighter jets to the country, Zelenskyy is also meeting with Macron during his visit.

Still, some Ukrainian lawmakers and people close to Zelenskyy’s office aren’t confident their allies are ready to provide assistance quickly enough to win the war. That’s even after rallying cries like a speech Biden gave Thursday at the D-Day commemoration, stressing that if Russia prevails, “all of Europe will be threatened.”

Some officials in Kyiv aren’t buying the rhetoric: “His D-Day speech doesn’t matter,” said a person who has spoken with officials in Zelenskyy’s office, granted anonymity to speak candidly. Among top Ukrainian officials it’s seen as empty rhetoric, the person explained.

There are a few recent moves by Biden that have led to this sense of skepticism in Kyiv.