Emmanuel Macron has mentioned a peace cope with Russia “must not mean a surrender of Ukraine” – as Donald Trump claimed Vladimir Putin’s forces “want to end this war”.
The US and French presidents met amid fragile relations between America and Europe and after Mr Trump launched a verbal assault on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Assembly within the White Home on the third anniversary of Russia’s struggle in Ukraine, the French president mentioned he and Mr Trump “made substantive steps forward during our discussions”.
Mr Macron advised reporters that Europe ought to do extra to bolster defence within the continent.
Nevertheless, he confused Russia “is the aggressor” within the battle and added: “President Putin violated the peace.”
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Trump and Macron’s ‘pleasant’ assembly
Peace should permit Kyiv ‘sovereignty’
The French chief then mentioned: “We want peace, he wants peace. We want peace swiftly, but we don’t want an agreement that is weak.”
“This peace must not mean a surrender of Ukraine or a ceasefire without guarantees,” he added. “It must allow for Ukrainian sovereignty and allow Ukraine to negotiate with other stakeholders regarding the issues that affect it.
“It is usually a rustic wherein we have to shoulder our duties in order that we guarantee safety and stability for Ukraine and for your entire area.
“For Europeans, this is an existential issue.”
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Macron mentioned any peace deal ‘should not imply a give up of Ukraine’. Pic: Reuters
‘Get this struggle stopped’
He additionally agreed “there is good reason for President Trump to re-engage with President Putin” – every week after the leaders had a 90-minute-long cellphone name.
Mr Trump added Russia would settle for European troops in Ukraine as a part of peacekeeping efforts, including: “I specifically asked him (Putin) that question. He has no problem with it.”
He advised reporters: “When I got here, one of the first calls I made was to Putin and it was made with great respect. They want to end this war.”
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Mr Macron ‘totally believes’ there’s a path ahead with peace talks after assembly with Mr Trump. Pic: AP
Mr Trump then defined he needs to “get this war stopped,” whether or not that is by a ceasefire or a direct settlement – however when requested if Ukraine ought to hand over territory as a part of any deal, he mentioned: “We’ll see.”
The Russian president additionally touted a potential financial cope with the US, providing talks on a deal for its personal uncommon earth steel provides and for the sale of aluminium to American corporations.
The US president is because of meet Sir Keir Starmer on Thursday, after the prime minister warned Mr Trump {that a} unhealthy peace deal could be a “disaster for everyone”.
Earlier on Monday, Mr Trump mentioned he hoped Mr Zelenskyy would go to the US to signal a deal on Ukraine’s uncommon earth minerals quickly.
Simply final week, in a bitter change of phrases, Mr Trump known as Ukraine’s chief a “dictator” and mentioned he “better move fast or he is not going to have a country left” after Mr Zelenskyy had accused him of dwelling in a Russian-made “disinformation space”.
