French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday is to host European leaders, including President Volodymyr Zelensk,y for a summit aimed at boosting Ukrainian security ahead of any potential ceasefire with Russia.

The meeting is seeking to set out what security guarantees Europe can offer Ukraine once a ceasefire deal is agreed, including the possible deployment of military forces by a so-called “coalition of the willing”.

Twenty-seven heads of state and government are due to attend the Paris summit, which is to get underway with their arrival at the Elysee Palace at 0800 GMT. Macron is due to give a news conference in the afternoon summing up the discussions.

Key NATO member Turkey, currently under scrutiny due to protests at home, is due to be represented by Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz.

Speaking alongside Zelensky in Paris on Wednesday ahead of the talks, Macron said this was now a “decisive phase to put an end to the war of aggression” waged by Russia against Ukraine as the United States under Donald Trump reaches out to Moscow in search of a deal.

Macron also announced a new French two billion euro ($2.2 billion) military aid package for Ukraine, with Paris ready to rapidly ship existing hardware from its stocks.

He said Russia must accept a 30-day ceasefire offered by Ukraine “without preconditions”, accusing Moscow of still showing a “desire for war” and hailing Kyiv for having “taken the risk of peace”.

He also accused Russia of making “new conditions” and not responding to the ceasefire offer.

“Ukraine has clearly expressed to the United States its agreement to a full and unconditional 30-day ceasefire, even though it is the victim of the aggression,” said Macron.

“We expect the same commitment from Russia.”

Thursday’s meeting comes after the White House said that Russia and Ukraine had agreed on the contours of a possible ceasefire in the Black Sea in separate talks with US officials in Saudi Arabia.

Kyiv confirmed this, as did Moscow — though it said that it had set conditions, including demanding sanctions relief affecting its agricultural sector from the United States.

On Wednesday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said these conditions will be evaluated and cautioned that a peace deal “won’t be simple”.

“It’ll take time, but at least we’re on that road, and we’re talking about these things,” Rubio said.

No time frame for the potential peace deal has been given yet.



https://punchng.com/macron-hosts-european-leaders-for-ukraine-security-summit-amid-ceasefire-talks/