Macron Asserts Ukraine’s Rights Must Be Considered in Peace Talks
PARIS: French President Emmanuel Macron emphasized on Wednesday that any resolution to the Ukraine war must account for Ukraine’s rights and broader European security concerns. His statement came ahead of his scheduled visit to Washington next week.
“The stance of France and its allies is clear and unified. We seek a lasting peace in Ukraine,” Macron stated on X following a meeting with leaders from 19 countries, including Canada, with most participating via video link.
Recent comments from U.S. President Donald Trump have unsettled European allies, as he expressed willingness to restart diplomatic talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, bypassing both European nations and Kyiv.
To coordinate a collective European response to what he termed an “existential threat” posed by Russia, Macron convened a new meeting on Wednesday.
“We stand firmly with Ukraine and will fulfill our responsibilities to ensure peace and security in Europe,” he said after the video conference.
The leaders agreed that Ukraine should be actively involved in any negotiations and that “robust and credible guarantees” were necessary for a sustainable agreement. Macron stressed that European security concerns must also be integrated into the peace process.
Recognizing the growing need for defense preparedness, he stated, “We are committed to increasing our defense and security investments at both the European and national levels.”
A White House official, speaking anonymously, confirmed that Macron is set to meet with Trump in Washington early next week.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced his upcoming meeting with U.S. envoy Keith Kellogg on Thursday, expressing hope for a “constructive” engagement with Washington. This follows Trump’s recent social media outburst, where he referred to Zelensky as a “dictator” and accused Kyiv of initiating the war, remarks that prompted criticism even from some within his Republican Party.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, France has remained a key supporter of Kyiv. Earlier in the week, Macron had hosted an emergency meeting with European leaders from Germany, the UK, Italy, Poland, and the Netherlands, alongside NATO and EU officials. However, some smaller European nations, such as Romania and the Czech Republic, reportedly felt excluded.
Wednesday’s meeting included Romania’s interim President Ilie Bolojan and Luxembourg’s Prime Minister Luc Frieden in person, while leaders from Lithuania, Cyprus, Finland, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Estonia, Greece, Ireland, Iceland, Latvia, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Slovenia, and the Czech Republic joined via video conference.
Notably absent from the discussions were Hungary and Slovakia, whose leaders have maintained closer ties with Putin, as well as NATO member Turkey, where President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has positioned himself as a potential mediator.
