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French President Emmanuel Macron has warned that the global credibility of the United States and its NATO allies is at stake due to the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine. This warning came after a series of talks between Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and leaders from Finland, France, Germany, Italy, the UK, the European Union, and NATO.
Macron made these comments following discussions in Washington on Monday, which followed up on Trump’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska. While no agreement has been reached to end the more than three-year war, Monday’s gathering laid groundwork for a trilateral meeting between Trump, Zelensky, and Putin.
In an interview with NBC News, Macron emphasized that how the U.S. and its allies handle the situation in Ukraine will have far-reaching implications for their credibility globally. He stated, “What’s happening in Ukraine is extremely important for Ukrainian people, obviously, but for the whole security of Europe, because we speak about containing a nuclear power which decided just not to respect international borders anymore.”
Macron continued, “And I think it’s very important for your country because it’s a matter of credibility. The way we will behave in Ukraine will be a test for our collective credibility in the rest of the world.”
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Macron also expressed confidence that Trump could reach an agreement to end the war but stressed that any deal must not harm Ukraine and its European allies. He said, “All of us want a peace deal, but we want to make sure this peace will allow Ukrainians to recover their country and live in peace, with sufficient deterrence power not to be attacked again.”
However, Macron was less optimistic about Putin’s willingness to end the invasion. He stated, “When I look at the situation and the facts, I don’t see President Putin very willing to get peace now,” but added, “But perhaps I’m too pessimistic.”
Macron called for a ceasefire, noting that without one, it is difficult for Ukrainian officials to discuss peace while their country is being destroyed. He emphasized the need for security guarantees for Ukraine and stated, “If you make any peace deal without security guarantees, Russia will never respect its words, will never comply with its own commitments.”
In the absence of progress, Macron called for increased sanctions against Russia. He said, “We have to increase the pressure on the Russians to do so,” adding that both primary and secondary sanctions should be considered.
Trump has set a two-week timeline for determining diplomatic progress. Both sides are expected to know in the coming days whether they can solve the conflict or if the fighting will continue. The proposed Putin-Zelensky meeting is expected to precede trilateral discussions involving Trump, but specific timing and location remain undetermined.
