French President Emmanuel Macron said that the goal of the talks in Washington between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is to demonstrate a united front between Ukraine and its European allies. He stressed that if Europe shows weakness toward Russia today, it will mean conflicts in the future.

Russia as the aggressor
Macron described Russia as the only state that offers “a peace tantamount to capitulation.” According to him, there can be no territorial discussions about Ukraine without the participation of Ukrainian leaders, just as there can be no talks about the security of Europeans without their direct involvement. The president added that any agreement that weakens or eliminates the Ukrainian army would be insincere and doomed to fail.

Europe’s security and lasting peace
The French president reiterated his desire for “a robust and lasting peace.” He described Russia’s leadership as “imperialist and revisionist,” recalling that since 2008 Moscow has never respected its promises of peace and non-aggression. In his view, Europe’s task is to defend its security together with Ukraine and to demonstrate determination against attempts to undermine stability.

Putin and Trump
Macron was categorical: “Do I believe that President Putin wants peace? The answer is no. Do I believe that President Trump wants peace? Yes.” He emphasized that Putin seeks Ukraine’s capitulation, while from Trump he expects a clear commitment to Kyiv’s security. “Tomorrow we will have a robust and open conversation with Donald Trump,” the French head of state added.

A vision for Europe
“I want a strong, powerful and free Europe. We want to take responsibility and make our own decisions,” Macron declared. He added that in this “extremely grave context” an important moment has come both for the conflict and for Ukraine’s security. Therefore, the goal is clear – to show what unites Ukraine, Europe and the United States against the aggressor Russia.

The French president spoke from his summer residence after participating in a videoconference with European leaders. The conversation was dedicated to coordinating their common position ahead of the meeting in Washington, where Zelensky and European leaders will hold talks with Donald Trump. Macron stressed that European leaders must also take part in the upcoming summits devoted to the crisis in Ukraine. | BGNES