The Japan Times - Macron praises US-European-Ukraine talks as 'important occasion for convergence'

The talks involving US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US envoy Steve Witkoff come as Donald Trump's push to end three years of fighting has not borne fruit so far and after Russian leader Vladimir Putin refused to agree to a complete truce despite multiple efforts to engage him.

"This is a very important occasion for convergence," Macron said in English after hosting Rubio and Witkoff for lunch earlier in the day.

"I think everybody wants to get peace for sure, and a robust and sustainable peace," Macron said.

The meetings in Paris took place just days after Witkoff met Putin.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's chief of staff Andriy Yermak, Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga and Defence Minister Rustem Umerov were also in Paris to talk with European and US delegations.

Britain and Germany's national security advisors were also in Paris, the French presidency said.

Macron has taken the lead in seeking to forge a coordinated European response to defending Ukraine, both during the current conflict and in its eventual aftermath, after Trump shocked the world by opening direct talks with Russia.

Russia's strikes, which have recently killed dozens of people including children in Ukraine's cities of Sumy and Kryvyi Rig, show how the war is taking a hefty toll despite a series of diplomatic efforts.

"Arrived in Paris with one goal in mind: secure real, practical solutions to end the Russia-Ukraine war," Rubio said on X.

- 'Spreading Russian narratives' -

Earlier Thursday, Zelensky urged the allies meeting in Paris to lean on Russia to agree to a ceasefire.

"Russia uses every day and every night to kill. We must put pressure on the killers," he said on Telegram.

Zelensky also said Ukraine had "finally" received information that China was supplying weapons to Russia.

And he accused Witkoff of "spreading Russian narratives" after the US envoy suggested a peace deal with Russia hinged on the status of Ukraine's occupied territories.

"I believe that Mr Witkoff has taken on the strategy of the Russian side," Zelensky told reporters. "I think it is very dangerous, because he is consciously or unconsciously, I don't know, spreading Russian narratives."

Witkoff said this week that Putin was open to "permanent peace" after talks with the Kremlin chief in Saint Petersburg, their third meeting since Trump returned to the White House in January.

Witkoff said during a Fox News interview broadcast Monday that he saw a peace deal "emerging".

But Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the Paris meeting.

"Unfortunately we see from Europeans a focus on continuing the war," he said.

Russia's top economic negotiator Kirill Dmitriev said certain countries were trying to "derail" Moscow's talks with the United States.

Despite a series of diplomatic efforts, Russia has continued to strike Ukraine.

Russian drone strikes and shelling in Ukraine killed at least 12 people on Thursday, Ukrainian authorities said, just days after a Russian attack killed at least 35 people in the northeastern city of Sumy.

- 'Review progress' -

Macron's office said the purpose of the Paris talks was to "review progress on peace negotiations aimed at ending the Russian aggression in Ukraine".

The negotiations were to focus on a potential full ceasefire, the involvement of international peacekeepers and the development of Ukraine's security framework, Ukraine's foreign ministry said.

Britain and France are spearheading discussions among a "coalition of the willing" of around 30 countries looking to shore up any deal Trump might strike with a "reassurance force".

The German foreign ministry said government security advisor Jens Ploetner would participate in the Paris talks.

Zelensky has said that negotiators were making "good progress" with the United States in fraught talks over a minerals deal intended to secure desperately needed US support.

Putin last month rejected a US proposal for a full and unconditional ceasefire, after Kyiv gave its backing to the idea.

He also suggested Zelensky be removed from office, sparking an angry response from Trump who said he was "very angry" with the Russian leader.

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T.Sasaki--JT