"We stand with Ukraine and will take full responsibility to ensure peace and security in Europe" – Macron
Photo: X / Emmanuel Macron
Ukraine's European partners have a unified and clear position on the war unleashed by the Russian Federation, will take responsibility for peace and security in Europe, and will continue to support Ukraine.
French President Emmanuel Macron stated this after an emergency meeting with colleagues from the EU, Iceland, Norway, and Canada, writing about it on his X (Twitter) network.
"We stand together with Ukraine and will take full responsibility for ensuring peace and security in Europe. This is a fundamental interest of France, and I am its guarantor," the French leader emphasized.
Macron emphasized that France, together with its partners, shares the position of US President Donald Trump on ending the war unleashed by the Russian Federation against Ukraine.
Je viens à nouveau d'avoir une longue conversation avec plusieurs collègues de l'Union européenne, ainsi que le Canada, l'Islande et la Norvège.
La position de la France et de ses partenaires est claire et unie.
Nous souhaitons une paix en Ukraine qui soit durable et solide.… pic.twitter.com/W70hJyeyXV
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) February 19, 2025
In their efforts for peace, the European partners will continue to adhere to the following principles:
- Ukraine must always be included, and its rights must be respected;
- the peace must be durable and accompanied by reliable and credible guarantees;
- Europeans' security concerns must be taken into account.
"We are convinced of the need to increase defense and security spending and build capacity for Europe and each of our countries. The decision will be made in the coming days and weeks," Macron said.
On February 17, French President Emmanuel Macron convened an emergency summit in Paris with European leaders to address the challenges Donald Trump's presidency posed.
Ukrainian diplomatic sources informed the agency that President Volodymyr Zelensky would not attend the upcoming meeting, which would be conducted in the "Weimar Triangle ++" format, including France, Germany, Poland, and several other European countries.
France was supposed to hold a second meeting to discuss Ukraine and European security on February 19. Countries that were not present at the first meeting on February 16 were invited to the meeting.
For reference:
Notably, US Vice President J.D. Vance delivered a speech at the Munich Security Conference, where he criticized the European Union for abandoning the "fundamental values" of democracy, citing the cancellation of elections in Romania and "restricting freedom of speech." Vance also stated that European security faces no threat from Russia, China, or any other external actor, expressing concern about a threat from within.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius called US Vice President J.D. Vance's comments on comparing European and German democracy, in particular, with an authoritarian regime "unacceptable."
However, US Special Representative for Ukraine and Russia Keith Kellogg stated at the 8th Ukrainian Luncheon on the occasion of the Munich Security Conference that the Europeans failed when they ensured the peace process within the framework of the Minsk agreements, so the United States is unlikely to involve them in the peace process in Ukraine directly.
"You should have never started it": Trump blames Ukraine over war with Russia, citing three-year window for agreement
"There is a risk that this ceasefire will end up like the Minsk agreements" – Macron stresses need for strong security guarantees for Ukraine
