French President Emmanuel Macron mentioned solely Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy might negotiate on behalf of his nation with Russia to finish the conflict, warning a “peace that could be a capitulation” can be “dangerous information for everybody”, together with the U.S., the Monetary Instances reported on Thursday (February 13, 2025).
“The one query at this stage is whether or not President Putin is genuinely, sustainably, and credibly prepared to comply with a ceasefire on this foundation. After that, it’s as much as the Ukrainians to barter with Russia,” Mr. Macron mentioned in an interview with the newspaper on the Elysee Palace.
EDITORIAL | Participating Russia: On U.S. President Trump, Russia and the Ukraine conflict
U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday individually mentioned the conflict with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Zelenskiy and instructed U.S. officers to start talks on ending the almost three-year-long battle.
The cellphone calls got here shortly after U.S. Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth instructed Ukraine’s navy allies in Brussels {that a} return to Ukraine’s pre-2014 borders — earlier than Russia annexed Crimea — was unrealistic and that the U.S. doesn’t see NATO membership for Kyiv as a part of an answer.
Donald Trump talks about calls with Putin, Zelenskyy
President Donald Trump mentioned he and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed throughout a cellphone name Wednesday to start “negotiations” on ending the Ukraine conflict and would “work collectively, very carefully” towards winding down the battle.
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The Hindu
Ukrainians on Thursday fearful that Mr. Trump was making ready to promote out their nation following his cellphone name Mr. Putin.
Ukraine can have seat on the desk: Trump
Mr. Trump, chatting with reporters on the White Home on Thursday, mentioned Ukraine would have a seat on the desk throughout any peace negotiations with Russia over ending the conflict.
Mr. Macron instructed the Monetary Instances that Mr. Trump had created a “window of alternative” for a negotiated answer, the place “everybody has to play their position”, including that it’s now as much as Mr. Zelenskyy to debate territorial and sovereignty points.
He mentioned “..it’s as much as the worldwide group, with a particular position for the Europeans, to debate safety ensures and, extra broadly, the safety framework for the complete area. That’s the place we have now a task to play.”
‘Trump’s return an electroshock’
Mr. Macron described Mr. Trump’s return as an “electroshock” that ought to pressure Europe to safe its personal future in addition to Ukraine’s, the report added.
Individually, Mr. Macron mentioned to the newspaper that expelling Gazans can be “extraordinarily harmful”, including that Mr. Trump’s designs on Gaza and Greenland had been examples of the “excessive strategic uncertainty” the world was now residing in.

The commentary is geared toward Mr. Trump’s shock announcement that the U.S. intends to take away Gaza residents and remodel the war-ravaged territory into what the president billed as a “Riviera of the Center East”. He had additionally mentioned he desires to take over the Panama Canal and Greenland.
Mr. Macron reiterated that Europe ought to construct its defence capabilities so it might act even when the U.S. will not be concerned.
“We should additionally develop a completely built-in European defence, industrial and technological base,” Mr. Macron mentioned.
In January, at a joint information convention with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Paris, Mr. Macron mentioned: “After the inauguration of a brand new administration in america, it’s needed greater than ever for Europeans and for our two (France and Germany) nations to play their position of consolidating a united, sturdy and sovereign Europe.”
Revealed – February 14, 2025 12:09 pm IST