French President Emmanuel Macron said, ‘We are ready for a robust peace for Ukraine and Europeans, but the question now is to see the sincerity of Russia.’
European leaders are holding talks on Sept. 4 with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy over the shape of security guarantees to Kyiv if a cease-fire can be agreed with Russia.
The summit in Paris, which will be attended by up to 30 leaders either in person or virtually, will discuss what sort of military contributions they could make to Ukraine to deter Russia from attacking again, in the event of a final peace agreement.
The meeting of members of the so-called “coalition of the willing” will feature the leaders of France, Britain, Germany, and several NATO member countries in Europe, as well as Turkey, Australia, and Canada.
French President Emmanuel Macron, standing alongside Zelenskyy in Paris on Sept. 3, said the coalition leaders would endorse plans for security guarantees drawn up by senior military officers.
‘Robust Peace’
Macron said, “We are ready, us Europeans, to provide security guarantees to Ukraine. It enables us to say solidly that we are ready for a robust peace for Ukraine and Europeans, but the question now is to see the sincerity of Russia.”
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte told a press conference on Sept. 3 he expected clarity soon, “That means that we can engage even more intensely, also with the American side, to see what they want to deliver in terms of their participation in security guarantees.”
The coalition of the willing has indicated it would want a security guarantee from the United States.
During a meeting at the White House on Aug. 18, U.S. President Donald Trump said the United States would help provide security guarantees to Ukraine after the war to prevent future aggression.
During that meeting, Trump told seven European leaders, including Rutte and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, that a breakthrough occurred at the Alaska summit when Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to accept security guarantees for Ukraine.
He expressed hope that Europe would shoulder a large portion of the responsibility, with the United States playing a supportive role.
On Aug. 20, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said attempts to resolve security issues relating to Ukraine without including Moscow were a “road to nowhere.”
Referring to the meetings to discuss security guarantees, Lavrov said, “We cannot agree with the fact that now it is proposed to resolve questions of security, collective security, without the Russian Federation. This will not work.”
