French President Emmanuel Macron has urged Europe and the United States to exert strong pressure on Russia to accept a proposed ceasefire in Ukraine.
“Russia does not give the impression of sincerely wanting peace,” Macron told AFP after a video conference on Saturday morning with Ukraine-supporting nations, organized by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Instead, Russian President Vladimir Putin is “escalating the fighting” and aiming to “take everything before negotiating,” Macron warned.
Pressure on Russia and U.S. Role
Macron stressed that “Russia must respond clearly, and the pressure must be equally clear, in cooperation with the United States, to achieve this ceasefire.”
His remarks come amid renewed diplomatic efforts, with U.S. President Donald Trump pushing for an end to the three-year conflict. Despite a recent high-profile disagreement between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Kyiv has backed Washington’s proposal for a 30-day ceasefire, which Moscow has yet to accept.
“This is a moment of truth,” Macron stated. “If Russia does not sincerely commit to peace, President Trump will escalate sanctions and retaliatory measures, completely shifting the dynamics.”
Security Guarantees and Troop Deployments
France and the UK are among the countries accelerating plans to provide security guarantees to Ukraine in case of a future ceasefire. Military leaders from around 30 nations met in Paris on March 11 to discuss a possible peacekeeping force for Ukraine and are set to meet again in the UK on Thursday.
Macron revealed that several European and non-European countries are willing to deploy “several thousand troops” in key locations to support Ukraine’s long-term security and conduct training programs.
“If Ukraine requests allied forces on its territory, it is not up to Russia to accept or refuse them,” he asserted, adding that Ukraine must not be pressured into territorial concessions without security guarantees.
Upcoming Diplomatic Talks
Macron is set to meet Canada’s newly elected Prime Minister Mark Carney on Monday to discuss Ukraine and other global crises. On Tuesday, he will travel to Berlin for talks with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz ahead of a key EU summit focused on the war in Ukraine.
Moscow has strongly opposed any foreign troop deployments, but Macron remains firm on supporting Ukraine’s sovereignty and security.
