As Kyiv’s allies in Europe attempt to rekindle the conflict in Paris amid mounting tensions with Washington, French President Emmanuel Macron has hosted senior US officials in Paris for talks on ending the conflict.
Macron said the discussions were “a very important occasion for convergence” after meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US envoy Steve Witkoff on Thursday.
Everyone wants a strong, long-lasting peace, according to the statement. The French leader said, “The question is about phasing.”
Trump has been urging the US president to end the Russian-Ukraine conflict, with Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaking bilaterally with his Russian and Ukrainian counterparts.
Trump has expressed frustration with both Moscow and Kyiv, and his efforts have not so far failed.
Russia rejected a Trump request to ceasefire last month, but Ukraine accepted it. Both sides have agreed to halting attacks on energy-focused ships and at sea, both of which they accuse one another of violating.
Some European leaders have urged Trump to ensure that Ukraine has a seat at the table of negotiations in any negotiations because of the US’s overtures toward Russia over the past few weeks.
Hashem Ahelbarra, a journalist in Paris, reported on Thursday that the Macron-hosted discussions showed “strong evidence that the Americans are attempting to work with the Europeans” to reach a ceasefire agreement.
After the Trump administration made its announcement to leave Europe, Ahelbarra claimed there had been “a great deal of frustration and scepticism” among European leaders and that they did not anticipate that the European nations would play a significant part in efforts to end the war.
Because they claim they are the ones who can ensure the voice of the Ukrainians can be heard, “Europe would like to play a key role in the ceasefire talks,” he continued.
Zelenskyy demands that Russia be under more pressure.
In advance of the talks with Rubio and Witkoff, Macron reportedly phoned Zelenskyy, the president of Ukraine, to discuss the matter.
Before that, Emmanuel Bonne, Macron’s chief of staff and his British and German counterparts met, and they spoke about a potential ceasefire and security guarantees, according to Yermak.
We exchanged opinions on the implementation of a full ceasefire, the presence of a multinational military contingent, and the creation of a successful security structure for Ukraine, according to Yermak in a social media post.
Russian aggression comes as Ukraine continues to be attacked by Ukraine, with Ukrainian authorities reporting that at least 12 people were killed by drone strikes and shelling on Thursday.
This week, a Russian attack that claimed the lives of at least 35 people in Sumy, northeast of the city, also sparked widespread outcry and renewed calls for an end to the conflict.
Zelenskyy had earlier urged the leaders of Paris to pressure Russia into agreeing to a ceasefire earlier on Thursday. “Russia kills itself every day and every night. He remarked on Telegram that we must pressurize the killers.
Zelenskyy also pointed out that Witkoff, the US envoy, was “spreading Russian narratives” after suggesting a peace deal with Russia depended on the status of Ukraine’s occupied territories.
Zelenskyy told reporters, “I think Mr. Witkoff has adopted the Russian side’s strategy.” “I believe it is very dangerous because he is spreading Russian narratives, whether we know it or not,” he said.
After their third meeting since Trump’s arrival at the White House in January, Witkoff claimed this week that Putin was open to “permanent peace.”
Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov were reportedly speaking via phone, according to the US State Department in a statement following the discussions on Thursday.
The Secretary also stated that President Trump and the United States want this war to end, and that they have now presented to all parties the blueprints for a peaceful and lasting future. “The Secretary conveyed the same message to the Ukrainian delegation and our European allies in Paris,” it said.
