Macron says Putin doesn't seem 'very willing' to end Ukraine war

ISTANBUL

French President Emmanuel Macron said he remains skeptical that Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to end the war in Ukraine, stressing that any peace deal must be backed by firm security guarantees for Kyiv.

“When I look at the situation and the facts, I don’t see President Putin very willing to get peace now. But perhaps I’m too pessimistic,” Macron told NBC News in an interview after attending a White House meeting with US President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and European leaders on Monday.

He said Trump’s optimism about a possible deal should be taken seriously.

“If he considers he can get a deal done, this is great news, and we have to do whatever we can to have a great deal,” he said.

Macron insisted that the US and its allies must continue applying pressure on Moscow, including stronger sanctions, if peace talks fail.

“If the Russians don’t comply with this approach, yes, we have to increase the sanctions, secondary and primary sanctions,” he warned.

“There is an aggressor, which is Russia. There is a country which decided to kill people, stole children, and refused a ceasefire and peace, so we cannot just create an equivalent situation between Ukraine and Russia,” Macron said.

He also stressed that Ukraine must receive binding guarantees to prevent future Russian aggression.

“If you make any peace deal without security guarantees, Russia will never respect its words, will never comply with its own commitments,” he said.

Trump had told leaders that Putin accepted the principle of security guarantees for Ukraine in their meeting in Alaska last week, Macron also noted.

Asked about the prospect of a ceasefire, Macron said he hoped for one, but added that Russian attacks continued during the talks.

“It’s impossible for a Ukrainian president and Ukrainian officials to have talks about peace as their country is being destroyed and as their civilians are being killed,” he said, citing strikes in Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia.

About territorial concessions, Macron said: “Now, when we speak about territory, it’s for the Ukrainian president and for the Ukrainian people to discuss about it.”

A heavyweight delegation joined Macron at the White House, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

Macron emphasized that the conflict has consequences beyond Ukraine.

“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,” he said.

“The way we will behave in Ukraine will be a test for our collective credibility in the rest of the world.”