This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . The next check for changes will be

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/apr/17/lammy-rubio-and-witkoff-to-discuss-ukraine-war-and-iran-with-europeans-in-paris-talks

The article has changed 9 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 5 Version 6
Rubio meets European delegation in Paris to discuss Ukraine war Macron hosts ‘excellent’ ceasefire talks with top US, European and Ukrainian officials
(about 5 hours later)
US secretary of state meeting Emmanuel Macron as well as British and German politicians and Ukrainian officials Senior diplomats set to meet again in London next week after ‘very productive’ Paris summit to revive stalled efforts
France’s president, Emmanuel Macron, has met the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, for high-level talks in Paris as Washington and Europe seek common ground on ending the fighting in Ukraine and averting a conflict with Iran. Senior US, European and Ukrainian diplomats will meet again in London next week, the Élysée Palace has said, after what a French official described as an “excellent” day of talks in Paris aimed at reviving stalled ceasefire efforts.
A previously unannounced team of senior Ukrainian officials also flew into the French capital to meet the US and European delegations as Donald Trump’s efforts to arrange a ceasefire three years after Russia invaded its neighbour remained fruitless. “We have started a positive process in which Europeans are a part,” the spokesperson said after the meetings attended by top French, German, British and Ukrainian officials as well as the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, and Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff.
Rubio and Keith Kellogg, the US president’s special envoy to Ukraine, were due to join the talks with Macron, as well as the French and UK foreign ministers, Jean-Noël Barrot and David Lammy, and Jens Plötner, the foreign policy adviser to the outgoing German chancellor, Olaf Scholz. The French official said: “The Americans are ready to discuss security guarantees, but the exact content of those guarantees will depend on negotiations allowing Ukraine to achieve a solid and durable peace starting with a complete ceasefire as soon as possible.”
The US delegation – which includes Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff – was also due to discuss Washington’s efforts to reach a nuclear deal with Iran, officials said. France’s president, Emmanuel Macron, hosted the talks as Washington and Europe seek common ground on how to end the fighting three years after Russia invaded its neighbour, with Trump’s pledge to swiftly end the war so far unfulfilled.
Trump has indicated frustration with Moscow and Kyiv, but European leaders’ concern has mounted as he heaps pressure and criticism on Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, while making diplomatic gestures to Russia’s Vladimir Putin. “Everyone wants to get peace. A robust and sustainable peace. The question is about phasing,” Macron said as the talks got under way. Keith Kellogg, Trump’s envoy to Ukraine, who also attended, said afterwards the talks were “very productive” but gave no details.
On Thursday, Zelenskyy said pressure must be put on Russia to end the war. “Russia uses every day and every night to kill. We must put pressure on the killers … to end this war and guarantee a lasting peace,” he said after an overnight Russian strike on Dnipro killed three people. A previously unannounced team of Ukrainian officials including Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, and the country’s foreign and defence ministers flew in to meet the US and European delegations.
Moscow said the Paris meeting was a chance for Witkoff, who has held three meetings with Putin, to inform European officials of the peace talks’ current status. The Kremlin spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, said, however, that Russia so far saw “a focus on continuing the war” from the Europeans. Yermak said: “We exchanged views on the next steps … including the implementation of a full ceasefire, the involvement of a multinational military contingent, and development of an effective security architecture for Ukraine.”
Kyiv and its European allies say Moscow is to blame for rejecting Trump’s proposal of a ceasefire last month and hope to persuade the US to take a tougher line, particularly after a Russian missile attack on the city of Sumy on Sunday that killed at least 35 civilians. In Kyiv, Zelenskyy was critical of Witkoff’s message, saying he believed the US envoy had “taken on the strategy of the Russian side”. He added: “I think it is very dangerous, because he is – consciously or unconsciously, I don’t know – spreading Russian narratives.”
France, Britain and Germany were surprised by Trump opening discussions on improving ties with Russia, but have sought a coordinated European response to protecting Ukraine during the conflict and in any ceasefire. Earlier on Thursday, the Ukrainian president said pressure must be put on Moscow to call a halt to the fighting. “Russia uses every day and night to kill,” he said. “We must put pressure on the killers … to end this war and guarantee a lasting peace.”
Britain and France have proposed that a mainly European “reassurance” force should go to Ukraine if a ceasefire starts. However, many European leaders say such a force would need US support. The Élysée spokesperson said the object of the meetings was “to allow Ukraine to better understand the US proposals”, adding that the fact that Rubio, Witkoff and Kellogg attended “shows they recognise the important role of the Europeans”.
Zelenskyy’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, said his top-level delegation – which includes Ukraine’s foreign and defence ministers – would meet US, French, British and German officials, but did not specify who exactly they would talk to. Macron spoke to Zelenskyy by phone before the talks, the French president’s office said. He later greeted Witkoff and Rubio before a joint lunch. Before that, his foreign policy adviser, Emmanuel Bonne, and his British and German counterparts met Yermak.
The Ukrainian foreign minister, Andrii Sybiha, said the parties would discuss “ways to achieve a complete ceasefire, the involvement of a multinational military contingent to guarantee sustainable peace … and ensuring the security of our country”. Trump has indicated frustration with both Moscow and Kyiv, but European leaders’ concern has mounted as the US president heaps pressure and criticism on Zelenskyy while repeatedly making diplomatic overtures to Putin.
A French diplomatic source had said earlier that Rubio and Barrot, the French foreign minister, would discuss “the war in Ukraine, the situation in the Middle East and the Iranian nuclear file”. The trip is Rubio’s third to Europe since taking office. Moscow said the Paris meeting was a chance for Witkoff to inform European officials of the peace talks’ current status, although the Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russia so far saw only “a focus on continuing the war” from the Europeans.
Russia’s top economic negotiator, Kirill Dmitriev, said “certain countries” were trying to derail Moscow’s talks with the US. Macron’s office said the Paris meetings hoped to “review progress on peace talks aimed at ending the Russian aggression in Ukraine”.
Kyiv and its EU allies say Moscow is to blame for rejecting Trump’s proposal of a ceasefire last month. They hope to persuade the US to take a tougher line, particularly after a Russian attack on the city of Sumy on Sunday that killed at least 35 civilians.
France, Britain and Germany were taken aback when Trump opened discussions on improving ties directly with Russia, but have sought a coordinated European response on protecting Ukraine during the conflict and in any ceasefire.
Britain and France, backed by a “coalition of the willing”, have proposed that a mainly European “reassurance” force should be deployed in Ukraine if a ceasefire starts. However, many European leaders say such a force would need US support.
A French diplomatic source had said earlier that Rubio and Jean-Noël Barrot, France’s foreign minister, would discuss “the war in Ukraine, the situation in the Middle East and the Iranian nuclear file”. The trip is Rubio’s third to Europe since taking office.
Witkoff plans to fly on to Rome after the Paris talks for a second round of discussions on Saturday with the Iranian foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, about Iran’s nuclear programme. The two met for 45 minutes in Oman on Saturday.Witkoff plans to fly on to Rome after the Paris talks for a second round of discussions on Saturday with the Iranian foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, about Iran’s nuclear programme. The two met for 45 minutes in Oman on Saturday.
Both sides described those talks as positive, while acknowledging any deal was distant. Trump said on Monday he believed Iran was intentionally delaying a nuclear deal and that he was willing to bomb its nuclear facilities if one was not reached. Both sides described those talks as positive while acknowledging that any deal was distant. Trump said on Monday he believed Iran was intentionally delaying a nuclear deal and that he was willing to bomb its nuclear facilities if one was not reached.
On Tuesday, he held a meeting with national security advisers at the White House focused on Iran’s nuclear programme, according to sources familiar with the encounter. On Tuesday he held a meeting with national security advisers at the White House focused on Iran’s nuclear programme, according to sources familiar with the matter.
The US president has restored a “maximum pressure” campaign on Tehran since February after ditching a 2015 nuclear pact between Iran and six world powers during his first term and reimposing crippling sanctions.The US president has restored a “maximum pressure” campaign on Tehran since February after ditching a 2015 nuclear pact between Iran and six world powers during his first term and reimposing crippling sanctions.
Separately, the French defence minister, Sébastien Lecornu, would travel to Washington on Thursday for talks with the US defence secretary, Pete Hegseth, on a number of issues including Ukraine, Iran and Gaza, the ministry said. Separately, in Washington, the US defence secretary, Pete Hegseth, discussed efforts toward a “durable peace” in Ukraine with his French counterpart, Sébastien Lecornu, the Pentagon said. Hegseth called it an “excellent” meeting.
“We discussed the imperative need for Europeans to meet a 5% defence spending commitment to restore deterrence with ready, lethal, conventional forces,” Hegseth said. Lecornu called the discussions “productive”.
Agence France-Presse and Reuters contributed to this reportAgence France-Presse and Reuters contributed to this report