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| Macron hosts ‘excellent’ ceasefire talks with top US, European and Ukrainian officials | Macron hosts ‘excellent’ ceasefire talks with top US, European and Ukrainian officials |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Senior diplomats set to meet again in London next week after ‘very productive’ Paris summit to revive stalled efforts | Senior diplomats set to meet again in London next week after ‘very productive’ Paris summit to revive stalled efforts |
| 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. | 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. |
| “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. | “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. |
| 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 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.” |
| 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. | 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. |
| “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. | “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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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.” | 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.” |
| 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.” | 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.” |
| Rubio wrote on social media that the American delegation in Paris was looking to “secure real, practical solutions to end the Russia-Ukraine war”. He spoke by phone with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, on Thursday, a spokesperson for the US state department said. | |
| “President Trump and the United States want this war to end, and have now presented to all parties the outlines of a durable and lasting peace,” the spokesperson said. “The encouraging reception in Paris to the US framework shows that peace is possible if all parties commit to reaching an agreement.” | |
| Earlier on Thursday, Zelenskyy 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.” | |
| 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”. | 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”. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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”. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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 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. | 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 matter. | 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, 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. | 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”. | “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 report | Agence France-Presse and Reuters contributed to this report |