Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy met with French President Emmanuel Macron this Monday afternoon, amid a rapid intensification of diplomatic efforts over a US-led peace plan.
In the United States, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Sunday’s talks with the Ukrainian delegation in Florida were “productive” and acknowledged that “there is still work to be done.”
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff is scheduled to meet with President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Tuesday.
The talks took place at a difficult time for Kiev. Russian forces continue to gain ground in eastern Ukraine, and President Zelenskiy faces domestic tensions following a major corruption investigation that led to the resignation of his chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, who was Ukraine’s chief negotiator with the United States.
President Zelenskiy said the territorial aspects of the U.S.-backed plan remained “the most difficult.”
President Macron stressed that no deal would move forward without European participation, insisting that the process could only move forward with European countries “around the table”.
President Macron added that no final decision had been made yet. Still, European leaders have developed a preliminary approach to security, which will continue to be discussed with Coalition partners in the coming days.
Reporters questioned both leaders about corruption cases involving Zelenskiy’s aides.
“Our role is not to lecture Ukraine,” Macron said. “The fight against corruption is successful because there are open decisions,” he continued, contrasting Ukraine’s anti-corruption efforts with Russia’s lack of accountability.
President Macron also emphasized that pressure on Russia is increasing, noting that the EU has already adopted its 19th sanctions package, and that the United States is currently preparing its 20th sanctions package targeting Russian oil companies.
He said the combined measures were unprecedented in scope and warned that pressure would only increase in the coming weeks.
Macron and Zelenskiy left Paris for “back-to-back” meetings with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the leaders of Germany, Poland, Italy, Norway, Finland, Denmark and the Netherlands, European Council President Antonio Costa, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte.