French President Emmanuel Macron has warned that peace cannot mean Ukraine’s ‘surrender’. He said that talks with US President Donald Trump have set the path forward despite transatlantic tensions.
During a meeting at the White House on the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the two leaders said they had made progress on the idea of sending peacekeepers to Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has met with European leaders in Kiev as he called for peace “this year”.
Authorities issued a warning of a possible large-scale missile attack on Tuesday morning after sirens sounded in Ukraine, signaling an airstrike. At least five people were injured and several buildings were damaged in the attack on Tuesday. Authorities in neighboring Poland said military aircraft were deployed in response to the missile attack.
At the United Nations, the United States twice sided with Russia on Monday, as Washington sought to avoid any condemnation of Moscow’s attacks on its pro-Western neighbor. “This peace does not mean Ukraine surrendering,” Macron said at a joint press conference with Trump.
President Macron said Trump had “good reasons” to resume talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, but it was important for Washington to provide “support” to any European peacekeeping force.
French President Macron has said he will work with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who is visiting the White House on Thursday, on a proposal to send peacekeepers to Ukraine. “After speaking with US President Trump, I am fully confident that there is a way forward,” Macron said.
The war can be ended in a week
The French president arrived in Washington after Trump announced his readiness to resume diplomatic talks with Russia and negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine. Trump’s recent rapprochement with Russia not only threatens to end American support for Kiev, but also poses a threat to the rest of Europe.
US President Trump has said he is confident the war will end and expects Zelensky to sign an agreement at the White House in the next two weeks that will give Washington access to Ukraine’s rare minerals.
“I think if we can move forward reasonably well, we can end this within a week. But if we don’t act decisively, it’s going to be a long time coming,” Trump said at a news conference with Macron in the Oval Office.
