The diplomatic meetings come after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met privately with U.S. President Donald Trump at St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican earlier on April 26.
Instead of placing troops near the front lines, the U.K. and France now reportedly aim to send military trainers to western Ukraine, fulfilling a commitment to deploy personnel without engaging in direct defense roles.
"The Easter truce that Putin announced, somewhat unexpectedly, was more of a PR move — a charm offensive intended to prevent President Trump from becoming impatient or upset," French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said.
"We are ready to move forward as constructively as possible, just as we have done before, to achieve an unconditional ceasefire, followed by the establishment of a real and lasting peace," President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote.
With the start of Donald Trump's second term in office, NATO finds itself on shaky ground — reports that the U.S. president might cut the alliance's funding do little to ease fears. A leaked White House memo revealed plans to slash the U.S. State Department funding for the next
U.S. officials said they expect tangible progress soon, while European participants pushed Washington to prepare a harsher response if Moscow fails to engage, Bloomberg reported.
"For a long time, we feared that the Europeans would not be around the table. Well, today, it is in Paris that the Europeans, the Americans, and the Ukrainians have met for the first time," French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said.
The decision allows Naftogaz to begin legal recovery efforts in France, including seizing Russian state assets to satisfy the award.
Presidential Office head Andriy Yermak, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, and Defense Minister Rustem Umerov arrived in Paris on April 17 to discuss security guarantees for Ukraine and meet visiting U.S. officials.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff are set to travel to Paris later this week for high-level meetings on ending the war in Ukraine, the U.S. State Department said on April 16.
Following the outbreak of the full-scale war in 2022, the European Union has restricted energy imports from Russia, profits from which fuelled Moscow's ability to wage the war against Ukraine.
President Donald Trump's Special Envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, has clarified his comments in an interview with the Times on April 11, where he seemingly suggested that Ukraine could be partitioned into separate zones as part of a peace deal with Russia.
The U.K., France, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and another unnamed country stand ready to send their soldiers, while other leaders want to see a more detailed plan before making commitments, AFP reported.
The Trump administration has ruled out U.S. participation in the so-called "reassurance force," but London and Paris sought to convince Washington to at least provide airpower, intelligence support, or border surveillance as a backstop to the coalition's efforts.
"There is tangible progress and initial details on how the partner security contingent might be deployed," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
Foreign ministers from Spain, Germany, France, Italy, Britain, and Poland, along with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, called on Russia to agree to an "immediate and unconditional ceasefire on equal terms and with full implementation."
A French court on March 31 found Marine Le Pen, one of the leaders of the far-right National Rally party (RN), guilty of embezzling EU funds and banned her from running for public office "with immediate effect."
Strong statements made after a summit of European leaders in Paris on March 27 demonstrated two things — France and the U.K. are determined to send peacekeepers to Ukraine, but the plans are currently hostage to the whims of the Kremlin. "You cannot trust the Russians any further than you
The news came a day after a Paris summit where a number of European countries moved forward with plans to send soldiers to Ukraine as part of a "reassurance force" in case of the ceasefire with Russia.
Several European countries agreed to send troops to Ukraine as part of a "reassurance force" in case of the ceasefire with Russia, French President Emmanuel Macron announced on March 27 at a summit of European leaders in Paris, which was also attended by Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky.
The summit, co-led by French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, follows Starmer's March 2 proposal to form a "coalition of the willing" to support Ukraine.
As French President Emmanuel Macron hosts another Ukraine-centric summit in Paris on March 27, the main question remains open — can Europe, and France as one of its leaders, keep embattled Kyiv afloat when the U.S. walks out? Addressing the nation on March 5, French President Emmanuel Macron said that
The package includes anti-tank missiles, air defense systems, Mirage fighter jet missiles, armored vehicles, ammunition, and other aid, French President Emmanuel Macron said.
President Volodymyr Zelensky and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron are expected to discuss security guarantees for Ukraine ahead of a "coalition of the willing" summit.
The Paris summit on March 27 will bring together Germany, Poland, the U.K., and other coalition members who have pledged to support Ukraine's post-war security.
The proposal follows ongoing efforts by a "coalition of the willing" led by the U.K. and France, which aims to provide security guarantees to Ukraine.
France will deploy Rafale fighter jets equipped with supersonic nuclear warheads along its border with Germany in 2035, French President Emmanuel Macron announced on March 18 at the Luxeuil-Saint-Sauveur Airbase, according to BFMTV.
"Ukraine is sovereign – if it requests allied forces to be on its territory, it is not up to Russia to accept or reject it," French President Emmanuel Macron said in an interview with Le Parisien.
Western leaders reiterated their support for Ukraine following a virtual summit hosted by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on March 15, where leaders from 25 countries were in attendance.
Kyiv agreed to the U.S.-proposed truce during March 11 talks in Saudi Arabia, contingent on Russia’s adherence to its terms.
London and Paris are leading discussions among 37 countries from Europe, Asia, and the Commonwealth on shielding Ukraine against any future Russian aggression in case of a peace settlement, Bloomberg reported on March 13, citing official sources.
The resolution, which carries symbolic significance, urges the European Union, NATO, and allied nations to boost political, economic, and military aid for Ukraine.
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