“At a certain point, when we have done everything we can to resist and when, hopefully, Ukraine wins, we will have to negotiate,” Macron said. The Elysee Palace later qualified that this was not an invitation to Volodymyr Zelenskyy to begin negotiations immediately.
“We Europeans share the same continent and geography is stubborn and Russia will remain where it is, where it was yesterday and where it will be tomorrow,” Macron continued. Russia is a feared power, nobody wants to go to war with the Russian people. Therefore, Ukraine must negotiate with Russia at some point. “That’s the reality, it has to happen at some point,” said the French president. Europeans would also sit at the negotiating table and bring with them security guarantees.
Also NATO Secretary General for negotiations
According to Swiss newspaper Blick, NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg recently confirmed in Finland that the war in Ukraine could only end at the negotiating table. Ukraine must decide how much territory it wants to exchange for peace. Peace has its price. This while there seem to be increasing signs of some “Ukraine fatigue” in the West.
The West is also prepared “to pay a price” for strengthening the Ukrainian military, the president of the transatlantic defense alliance said. But Kyiv will have to make some territorial concessions to Moscow to end the conflict.
Stoltenberg did not present any concrete NATO proposal on how to end the conflict. It is “a matter for whoever pays the highest price to make that decision.” NATO and the West would continue to supply Ukrainians with weapons to “strengthen their hand” when a solution was finally negotiated.
Macron secures French support
Macron added during his visit that his country will continue to support Ukraine to defend itself, but also economically, financially and humanitarianly. “And we will continue to receive refugees on European soil, which is the most important area in the world that receives these war refugees,” said Emmanuel Macron.
At the same time, the French president called for “new discussions” between the EU and Ukraine. “As the EU, we have to send political signals to Ukraine … before the EU summit, which has important decisions to make.” At next week’s summit, EU heads of state and government are due to discuss Ukraine’s membership application. A recommendation from the EU Commission on whether Ukraine will be granted candidate status is expected this week.