Prime Minister Robert Golob and French President Emmanuel Macron reiterated their support for EU enlargement and Ukraine as they met in Paris on 13 December with Macron saying Slovenia and France are determined to support Ukraine "as long as it takes".

The two countries are "determined to support Ukraine for as long as it takes, in military, economic, humanitarian and diplomatic terms because our collective security and respect for the international order based on law and our shared values are at stake," Macron said.

The pair met ahead of a summit of EU leaders on 14-15 December where fresh aid to Ukraine will be one of the items on the agenda. Macron said the EU must offer "full and enduring support to Ukraine".

Prior to the summit, Golob and Macron headed to Brussels for an EU-Western Balkans summit, where EU enlargement is also expected to be one of the central topics.

Macron admitted that these are decisive talks, which are also important for the member states themselves, so talks on the reform of the EU are taking place at the same time.

Golob said internal reforms of the EU, including of the decision-making process are needed if enlargement is to be successful.

He acknowledged the importance of the EU's enlargement to Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia, while adding that the Western Balkans should not be forgotten.

Arriving in Brussels, Golob called on EU leaders to treat Bosnia-Herzegovina in the same package as Ukraine and Moldova.

"The issue of enlargement must be seen in geopolitical terms and [the countries] treated as a package wherever possible," he said.

Asked whether Macron supported Slovenia's initiative that Bosnia should be granted candidate status now, he said it was up to Macron to answer that. "In principle, however, we have the same position on that," he said.

In Paris Golob said he was happy that both Slovenia and France endorsed the latest resolution of the UN General Assembly that calls for immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

Golob and Macron also hailed bilateral cooperation between their countries.

Macron noted the emergence of a new action plan for bilateral cooperation, as part of which Slovenia and France will define strategic cooperation in the next four years in politics, diplomacy, culture, research and business.

He congratulated Slovenia on being elected a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council in the 2024-25 term, where he counts on the consistency of positions of the two countries.