French President Emmanuel Macron said he would like a meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Kremlin head Vladimir Putin to be held in a "neutral country" such as Switzerland, adding that he "advocates for Geneva," as he stated in an interview with TF1-LCI, writes UNN.
Details
According to him, such a meeting could take place "in Europe." "This is more than a hypothesis, it is a collective will," confirmed Macron, who assured that it would not take place in France, as during the Zelenskyy-Putin meeting in 2019, but in a "neutral country."
"Perhaps Switzerland, I advocate for Geneva," Macron stated.
"Or another country: the last time bilateral talks took place in Istanbul (Turkey)," he added.
"We decided to hold a bilateral meeting between the two presidents, then a trilateral meeting (with Donald Trump - ed.), and then a multilateral meeting where Europeans should be at the negotiating table," Macron said.
About peace
At the same time, Macron warned against a "hasty peace" that "will not be respected by Russia," as well as against "recognition of rights," which would mean "that territories can be seized by force." "Ukraine will make concessions that it considers fair and legitimate," Macron clarified. "This peace cannot be a capitulation; that would be a tragedy for Ukraine and Europeans. A nuclear power would approach our borders and advance. This would mean the collapse of the international order built over the last 70 years."
About security guarantees
Another important point discussed at the Washington summit: security guarantees for Ukraine after a peace agreement. "We formalized for the first time that we are launching a process to work on security guarantees," Macron noted. Starting this Tuesday at noon (13:00 Kyiv time), "we will meet with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to keep them informed," Macron emphasized, adding: "At the same time, we will begin concrete work with the Americans to see who is ready to do what."
As the publication indicates, "these security guarantees will not take the form of Ukraine's obligations to NATO, as Donald Trump is against this." Their goal remains "to deter (Russians) with a strong Ukrainian army that will be able to resist" in case of a new invasion, Macron emphasized. "Even to the point that Ukraine's allies will enter the war with Russia?" the publication writes and points to Macron's words: "If Russia takes responsibility for returning to Europe after a peace agreement, there will be a response," he warned.
About Russia's ambitions
Even in the event of peace in Ukraine, Macron warns against Russia's ambitions. "It has become a long-term destabilizing force and a potential threat to many of us," the French president noted. "A country that invests 40% of its budget in such equipment, which has mobilized an army of more than 1.3 million people, will not return to a state and an open democratic system overnight. Let's not be naive. Even for its own survival, it needs to continue to eat. It is a predator, a cannibal at our gates."
"We must not be naive, and I say this with great respect for the Russian people," Macron continued, according to whom "President Putin rarely keeps his promises." "I am not saying that France will be attacked tomorrow, but this is a threat to Europeans," he noted.