 "Macron hosts Ukraine ceasefire talks with Rubio, his office says 'Europeans are involved'")
France praised the talks on the Ukraine war and called it an excellent meeting, which was held in Paris between top US and European officials on Thursday, where US Secretary of State Marco Rubio once again promoted a US peace plan.
President Emmanuel Macron’s office described the talks as a “positive process” as Europe seeks a role in efforts to end the three-year war. This is the first time Europe has been directly involved in any peace process for the conflict on its own continent.
The meetings included Macron, Rubio, US envoy Steve Witkoff, British Foreign Secretary David Lammy, German officials, and Ukrainian ministers.
The talks came as US President Donald Trump’s efforts to end the war face setbacks, with Russian President Vladimir Putin rejecting a full truce.
“Today in Paris, we launched a positive process in which the Europeans are involved,” the French presidency said.
A new meeting with envoys from the US, France, Britain, Germany, and Ukraine will be held in London next week, officials said.
Rubio also called Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to discuss the Paris talks.
“President Trump and the United States want this war to end, and have now presented to all parties the outlines of a durable and lasting peace,” Rubio told his Russian counterpart, according to a report from AFP quoting the US State Department.
Impact Shorts
More Shorts“The encouraging reception in Paris to the US framework shows that peace is possible if all parties commit to reaching an agreement,” he added.
In a statement, Russia’s foreign ministry said Lavrov “reaffirmed Moscow’s readiness to continue collaborative efforts with American counterparts to comprehensively address the root causes of the Ukrainian crisis”.
Lavrov and Rubio agreed on the need to maintain “prompt communication channels”, in light of the London meeting next week, the statement said.
France, UK push for united European role in Ukraine peace efforts
France and Britain have called for a united European stance on supporting Ukraine during the war and any future ceasefire.
French President Macron said the Paris talks were an important step, with everyone aiming for a strong and lasting peace.
Peace can only be achieved with Europe’s support: France
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said the meeting was a breakthrough, as it brought the US, Ukraine, and European leaders together, something Europe had feared might not happen.
He said that the US now understands that peace can only be achieved with Europe’s support.
Recent deadly Russian strikes on Ukrainian cities, including attacks that killed children, have increased calls for diplomacy to end the war.
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