Paris (Web Desk): European Union leaders have firmly rejected any peace agreement in Ukraine that does not involve the direct participation of Ukraine and European countries.
Following a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Élysée Palace in Paris, French President Emmanuel Macron stated in a joint press conference that any peace plan between Russia and Ukraine must be finalized through negotiations that include both Ukraine and Europe.
According to China Daily, Macron, along with German Chancellor Frederik Merz and other European leaders, made it clear that they would not support peace talks on Ukraine without Ukrainian and European involvement.
Macron emphasized that issues such as frozen Russian assets, security guarantees, and Ukraine’s potential accession to the European Union could only be resolved through discussions with European leaders. He also stated that there is currently no final peace plan in place.
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy, in the same press conference, reiterated Ukraine’s desire to end the war on dignified terms, stressing the need for strong security guarantees. He pointed out that territorial issues would be one of the most difficult challenges in future peace negotiations.
Earlier, both Macron and Zelenskyy had engaged in talks with other European leaders, as well as U.S. and Ukrainian negotiators.
Meanwhile, German Chancellor Merz stated that Germany would oppose any effort to impose a peace plan on Ukraine’s leadership. Following a meeting with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk in Berlin, Merz underscored that no decision on Ukraine or Europe should be made without the inclusion of Ukrainians and Europeans in the process.
Prime Minister Tusk, in turn, reaffirmed Poland’s support for Ukraine and highlighted the ongoing efforts of Poland and Germany to strengthen European security. Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs also argued that Europe must be included in the peace talks for any future agreement on Ukraine.