'It will not bring peace': Macron issues ultimatum on negotiations with Russia over Ukraine
Photo: Emmanuel Macron (Getty Images)
Emmanuel Macron stated that European leaders must be present at negotiations on Ukraine. Otherwise, he believes, they will not bring peace, The Guardian informs.
Read also: EU demands a seat at table for Ukraine talks
"No peace without the Europeans. I want to be very clear: you can negotiate without the Europeans, if you prefer, but it will not bring a peace at the table," Emmanuel Macron said.
According to him, this is precisely why Europe needs to restore diplomatic channels with Russia so as not to rely on others — mainly the United States — in conducting negotiations.
Europe’s work on Ukraine
Macron stated that Europe has done its job on Ukraine by "stepping up its support for the war-torn country and rallying a coalition."
"When I hear some defeatist speech about Ukraine, when I hear some leaders urging Ukraine to accept they are defeated, overpricing Russia in this war, this is a huge strategic mistake, because this is not a reality," he said.
The French president stressed that the EU must ensure that any settlement protects Ukraine and preserves European security. In addition, he noted, the agreement "must disincentivize Russia from attempting again, and also doesn’t give the rest of the world a calamitous example to follow."
Rules of coexistence with Russia
The French leader also emphasized the need to develop "the rules of co-existence" with the aggressor country after the war in Ukraine.
In particular, Macron reminded that Europe’s security dynamics with Russia have often been shaped by "old treaties" developed or concluded without European participation at the negotiating table.
"We have to be the one to negotiate this new architecture of security for the for Europe the day after, because our geography will not change," he said.
Additionally, Macron called for "a series of consultations on this important issue" and noted that some preliminary work has already been carried out with Germany and the United Kingdom.
Next round of negotiations
Today, February 13, the press secretary of Vladimir Putin, Dmitry Peskov, announced that the next round of trilateral negotiations will take place on February 17–18.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy has already approved Ukraine’s delegation for the negotiations with Russia, which will be held in Geneva. The aggressor country’s delegation will be led by Vladimir Medinsky, who previously headed the Russian negotiators in 2025.
