Macron and Tusk insist that Ukraine should be at the center of any peace talks

2024-12-12 18:45:42, Kosova & Bota CNA

Macron and Tusk insist that Ukraine should be at the center of any peace talks

French President Emmanuel Macron with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. Source: Reuters

French President Emmanuel Macron and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Ukraine should have a key role in any possible negotiations over Russian aggression after a meeting on Thursday in Warsaw.

President Macron also insisted that Europeans should be involved in discussing security issues in "very close" coordination with the United States to ensure that Europe's interests are taken into account.

The meeting comes after President Macron held talks with US President-elect Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday in Paris. Meanwhile, Poland will take over the next presidency of the European Union in January, a few weeks before Mr. Trump takes office.

"We talked about our joint work for a just peace in Ukraine," Prime Minister Tusk said in a joint statement with the French President.

"We have a clear position ... Ukraine must be present in every (round of) talks and every proposal must also be accepted by our friends in Kiev," he said.

Poland has been one of Ukraine's strongest supporters against Russian aggression, which began on February 24, 2022.

Prime Minister Tusk dismissed as "speculation" the sending of troops to Ukraine after a possible ceasefire or peace deal.

"Decisions regarding Polish actions will be taken in Warsaw and only in Warsaw," he said. "At the moment we are not planning such actions".

French President Macron said that "President Trump's administration has shown its willingness to make efforts to change the course of this conflict".

A day after meeting with Mr Zelensky, President-elect Trump urged Russian leader Vladimir Putin to take steps to achieve an immediate ceasefire with Ukraine. He characterized the request as part of his active efforts as president-elect to end the war, even though he takes office in a few weeks.

"We must work very closely with the Americans, certainly with Ukraine, to find a possible path that takes into account the sovereignty and interests of Ukraine and the security and interests of the Europeans," said President Macron./ VOA