French President Emmanuel Macron emphasized the exceptional importance of the next two weeks for establishing substantial security guarantees for Ukraine. He made this statement during an interview with the French public broadcaster LCI, commenting on the outcomes of the meeting in Washington regarding the “coalition of the willing.”
This is reported by Kyiv24
Security Guarantees and the Involvement of International Partners
Macron stressed that work on security guarantees is ongoing in close cooperation with American partners. According to him, the “coalition of the willing” is currently discussing the details of future agreements that are intended to provide real substance to the guarantees for Ukraine.
“The next 15 days are absolutely critical for us to finalize the work with the Americans and give these security guarantees substance.”
In his address to Paris Match, the French president welcomed Donald Trump’s statement, in which he announced his intention to provide Ukraine with “very good security guarantees.” Macron noted that this position from the former U.S. president represents a significant change in recent days, as it confirms the necessity of ensuring security for the Ukrainian state.
Although the specific content of the security guarantees has not yet been disclosed, Macron clarified in his conversation with LCI that the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Turkey, and other countries are ready to participate in operations supporting Ukraine. This support is not intended for the front lines but will take the form of actions in the air, at sea, and on land.
The Threat from Russia and Prospects for Negotiations
Macron also warned of the destabilizing role of the Russian Federation in Europe and characterized the behavior of Russian President Vladimir Putin as unpredictable. He emphasized that Russia remains a serious threat to the European continent, even if a direct attack is not imminent in the near future.
In this context, Macron underscored the necessity for further diplomatic efforts. He previously mentioned that a potential meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Vladimir Putin could take place in one of the neutral European countries, rather than in France, as was the case in 2019.
According to information from American sources, the possibility of holding such a meeting in Hungary is being considered. On August 18, President Zelensky visited Washington, where he met with U.S. President Donald Trump, with key European partners, including Macron, in attendance.
This meeting occurred just a few days after talks between Putin and Trump in Alaska, where the main topic was the conclusion of Russia’s war against Ukraine. So far, the details of any potential agreements have not been disclosed.
Previously, Trump expressed the opinion that Ukraine might be forced to concede part of its territory; however, the official position of the Ukrainian authorities is to maintain the integrity of all territories forcibly seized by Russia.