Macron stresses Ukrainian autonomy amid Russia-US talks concerns
In Europe, concerns are growing about the potential outcomes of talks between representatives of Russia and the USA. French President Emmanuel Macron emphasised that negotiations regarding Ukraine's future can only be conducted by the Ukrainians themselves. Macron assured that Kyiv can rely on Paris's support.
On Friday, Emmanuel Macron had a phone conversation with Volodymyr Zelensky. "If President Donald Trump can truly convince President Putin to stop the aggression against Ukraine, that is great news," he wrote in a subsequently published social media post.
He added, "Ukrainians alone can drive the discussions for a solid and lasting peace. We will help them in this endeavour," stressed Macron.
The politician assessed that Europe needs to become more independent. "France will fully play its role in accelerating this process," he assured, adding that "Europeans, will need to strengthen our collective security and become more autonomous."
Trump prepares for talks with Putin
Concerns that talks on ending the war could occur without the Ukrainians' involvement emerged after comments from Donald Trump, who, following a phone conversation with Vladimir Putin, announced that he had ordered the "immediate" start of negotiations, surprising the authorities in Kyiv.
Meanwhile, the head of the Pentagon, Pete Hegseth, stated that Ukraine's membership in NATO is "unrealistic," just as much as a return to the 2014 borders. Nonetheless, Ukrainians still hope for an invitation to the Alliance. Similarly, they hope to regain all lost territories, including Crimea.
