Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Monday to discuss pathways toward a potential ceasefire in Ukraine’s nearly four-year-old war with Russia.
Zelenskyy’s visit followed a meeting in Florida over the weekend between Ukrainian and U.S. officials. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the talks as “productive,” as both sides worked to revise a 28-point U.S.-proposed peace framework. The plan, developed in earlier negotiations between Washington and Moscow, has drawn criticism from several European allies for allegedly favoring Russian demands.
The proposed framework includes controversial provisions such as limiting the size of Ukraine’s military, prohibiting Ukraine from joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and requiring Ukraine to cede territory. U.S. President Donald Trump recently downplayed the plan’s significance, labeling it a “concept” that still needed to be “fine-tuned.”
Ahead of Zelenskyy’s visit, Macron’s office said the French president aimed to push for a “fair and lasting peace.” Macron has consistently supported Ukraine and expressed concerns about aspects of the U.S. proposal. Last week, he called on Western allies to commit to “rock-solid” security guarantees for Ukraine should a ceasefire or peace agreement be reached. He also favored deploying a “reassurance force” across land, sea, and air domains to reinforce Ukraine’s security.
Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Russian President Vladimir Putin would meet Tuesday with U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff. Witkoff has faced scrutiny following a report suggesting he advised Putin’s foreign affairs adviser on how to frame the peace plan during discussions with Trump. Both Moscow and Washington have downplayed the significance of these reports.
European allies remain closely involved as Ukraine, the United States, and Russia continue complex negotiations in search of a diplomatic solution to the long-running conflict.
