French President Emmanuel Macron hosted US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and President Donald Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff in Paris yesterday, as European and Ukrainian officials tried to make arguments in favor of Kiev regarding the war in Ukraine.
The increased diplomatic activity reflects Europe's growing concern about the US administration's efforts to get closer to Moscow, according to Reuters.
Trump, who has long said he wants a quick end to the war in Ukraine, has signaled frustration with both Moscow and Kiev, although American rhetoric has increasingly shifted toward accommodating Russia's view of the conflict.
"Everyone wants peace. A solid and sustainable peace. It's just a question of the order of steps," Macron said during a meeting with Marco Rubio's delegation at the Elysee Palace.
Trump's special envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, who was also in Paris, posted a photo on Instagram with the leaders of the Ukrainian delegation and wrote: "Very productive meetings at the Elysee Palace on efforts to end the war between Ukraine and Russia."
Ukraine accepted Trump's ceasefire proposal last month, which Russia rejected. The sides agreed only to limit attacks on energy targets and at sea, which they accuse each other of violating.
Kiev and its European allies are hoping to persuade Washington to take a tougher stance on Moscow, especially after a Russian attack in the city of Sumy on Sunday that killed at least 35 people.
Macron, according to a statement from his office, spoke by phone with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky yesterday, ahead of meetings with Rubio and Vitkoff.
He later welcomed Vitkoff and then Rubio, with whom he shook hands before lunch. Reuters notes that the usual warm embrace and pat on the back with which the French president often greets guests was missing.
Zelensky told a news conference in Ukraine that Russia had reduced the number of attacks on energy facilities but was still targeting civilian infrastructure. He said that Russian violations of the agreement to stop attacks on energy infrastructure would be a topic of discussion in Paris, but that Ukraine would not be ready to discuss territorial issues until a ceasefire was reached. He also repeated accusations that Vitkoff was “spreading Russian narratives” about the war.
The Kremlin described the meetings in Paris as an opportunity for Vitkoff, who met with Russian President Vladimir Putin for five hours of talks last week, to brief Europeans on negotiations related to the search for a peace solution.
Yesterday's talks were very successful and launched a process in which Europeans are involved in discussions about the future of Ukraine, a senior French official said.
“The ‘E3’ are at the table and we are doing it with a European ambition,” a senior adviser to Macron told reporters after talks at the Elysee Palace, referring to France, Britain and Germany.
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