French President Emmanuel Macron is set to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Paris on the evening of 3 September, a day before the “Coalition of the Willing” summit scheduled for 4 September, according to an undisclosed source at the Élysée Palace cited by European Pravda.

The meeting comes as Ukraine continues to press for security guarantees from Western allies amid efforts towards a ceasefire with Russia.

The Paris summit will bring together countries ready to provide security guarantees to Ukraine if a ceasefire is reached, with the aim of coordinating technical and strategic measures to strengthen Ukraine’s defense and support the enforcement of peace efforts.

A French official told European Pravda that the talks aim to convey that the countries ready and able to provide security guarantees have completed their planning. They said that chiefs of staff and defense ministers have already completed the necessary groundwork.

“Today we are ready to provide these security guarantees,” the official said, adding that the effort also includes support for applying pressure on Russia to achieve a ceasefire.

The “Coalition of the Willing” summit will take place in a hybrid format under the joint leadership of Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy is expected to join. 

Discussions are likely to cover potential deployment of peacekeeping forces, as highlighted recently by Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda.

This meeting follows earlier efforts by Ukraine to secure Western security guarantees. Western nations are continuing to develop frameworks for post-ceasefire security in Ukraine, but many believe that a ceasefire remains unlikely in the near term. 

The upcoming Paris talks are seen as a continuation of these efforts, providing Ukraine with a platform to push for concrete commitments on security guarantees and measures to strengthen pressure on Russia.

In a report on 31 August, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) outlined how the Kremlin has intensified its multi-pronged information campaign to weaken Western support for Ukraine and derail the European role in peace efforts in the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war.

Russia is now aggressively pushing three narrative lines at once: blaming European states for prolonging the war, reviving nuclear threats, and portraying Russian victory as inevitable.

Kremlin blames Europe for dragging out the war

Kremlin officials have returned to a long-standing propaganda line that paints European states as obstacles to peace in Ukraine. ISW noted that Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov and Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) CEO Kirill Dmitriev recently implied that European countries are deliberately extending the conflict. According to ISW, Russia is using Dmitriev—who frequently represents Kremlin interests on Western platforms—to reintroduce this message into the Western media environment, aiming to erode US confidence in European allies.

Medvedev threatens nuclear consequences for backing Ukraine

On 31 August, Russian Security Council Chairperson Dmitry Medvedev launched a pointed attack against French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Posting on his English-language X account, Medvedev accused the two leaders of having “forgotten the lessons” of World War II. He warned that “things could end up like they did in 1945 – [Macron and Merz] too may end up being identified by their teeth,” directly invoking the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Medvedev also described recent Russian military progress as “bad news” for the European leaders.

ISW assessed that this language is intended to threaten France and Germany with nuclear consequences for their involvement in US-led efforts to end the war, while simultaneously amplifying the idea of unstoppable Russian military momentum.

Moscow promotes image of inevitable victory

Alongside these threats, the Kremlin continues to push the idea that Russian victory in Ukraine is certain. ISW reported that the Russian Ministry of Defense has ramped up its efforts to project battlefield success using large volumes of qualitative data. However, ISW assessed that these claims are inflated and part of the broader strategy to demoralize Ukraine’s allies and reduce Western resolve.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron announced plans for secondary sanctions targeting companies from third countries that support Russia’s war effort, as European leaders grow impatient with the stalled peace negotiations.

The initiative emerged from a meeting of German and French cabinet members on 29 August, according to Bloomberg. Both leaders called for measures to undermine Russia’s ability to finance its military operations through oil sales.

“We will continue to exert pressure for additional sanctions to be imposed by ourselves — and we are prepared to do so — but also by the US, to force Russia to return to the negotiating table,” Macron said at a joint press conference with Merz at Fort du Cap Brun near Toulon.

The timing reflects mounting frustration with President Donald Trump’s approach to ending the war. Trump’s latest two-week deadline for progress is close to expiring with little visible advancement toward a peace deal. Instead, the Kremlin launched one of its heaviest drone and missile assaults of the year this week, hitting apartment buildings and killing at least four children.

Merz specifically referenced potential US tariffs as a model for action. “In America, right now they’re discussing further tariffs,” he said. “I would welcome it very much if the American government could make a decision on enforcing those on other nations whose purchases of oil and gas finance a large part of Russia’s war economy.”

The Franco-German statement outlined plans to “further extend and develop effective and robust sanctions” through cooperation within the European Union and with Group of Seven partners. The stated goal is to “exert maximum pressure on Russia.”

The EU has already begun preparing secondary sanctions aimed at Russia’s energy sector. These measures target third countries that help the Kremlin circumvent existing penalties, with additional steps planned for Russia’s oil, gas, and financial sectors.

“We are working on the next package, there are several options on the table,” EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said. “Of course, what will hurt them the most is any sanctions on energy and secondary sanctions.”

The EU adopted an anti-circumvention tool in 2023 that prohibits exports, supply, or transfers of certain goods to third countries considered to aid sanctions evasion. However, the bloc has not yet deployed this instrument.

The EU has avoided secondary sanctions, particularly given recent criticism from the Trump administration about such policies. The current push suggests European leaders believe they have reached the limits of direct sanctions against Russia.

Merz has become increasingly vocal about the lack of diplomatic progress. The German leader said on 28 Augusthe no longer expects a meeting between Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, despite Trump’s previous suggestions that such talks were possible.

Beyond sanctions, France and Germany agreed to provide Ukraine with “credible security guarantees” that would allow the country to maintain a military “without any limitations” to deter Russia. They also committed to closer defense cooperation and standardizing military equipment between their nations.

The two countries plan to discuss including France’s nuclear weapons in Europe’s overall security architecture, though they postponed a final decision on the troubled FCAS fighter-jet project until year-end.

Kallas indicated broad support among EU defense ministers for expanding the mandate of EU training missions after a ceasefire, allowing training to occur inside Ukraine rather than just outside its borders.

Zelenskyy said he and European leaders will “connect” with Trump next week to discuss security guarantees during meetings where he seeks legally binding commitments from allies as part of peace negotiations.

Macron and Merz plan separate calls with Trump over the weekend, according to Bloomberg.

Italy’s ambassador to France, Emanuela D’Alessandro, was summoned to the French Foreign Ministry on 21 August, following what Paris deemed “unacceptable” remarks by Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini toward Emmanuel Macron, France Inter and Radio France’s international desk reported on 22 August.

During a speech on 20 August, Salvini criticized the French president over his support for the idea of sending troops to Ukraine.

“Italian soldiers in Ukraine? Absolutely not. If Emmanuel Macron wants it, let him go himself. Put on a helmet, take a rifle and go to Ukraine yourself,” the Italian vice-premier said.

According to a diplomatic source contacted by France Inter, during the ambassador’s summoning to the Quai d’Orsay, “she was reminded that these remarks went against the climate of confidence and the historical relationship between our two countries.” The source said these statements undermine “recent bilateral developments, which have highlighted strong convergences between the two countries, particularly regarding unwavering support for Ukraine.”

Neither Italian diplomacy nor the services of Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni wished to comment when contacted by Radio France’s international desk on 22 August.

This marks the second time Salvini, who maintains close ties with Marine Le Pen, has verbally attacked Macron over Ukraine support. On 7 March 2025, during a trip to Milan, he called the French president “crazy,” accusing him of pushing Europe toward war with Russia.

The diplomatic incident occurs amid broader discussions about security guarantees for Ukraine. US Special Representative Steve Witkoff said that during a meeting in Alaska, Russian leader Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump agreed on “reliable security guarantees” for Ukraine, including protection analogous to NATO’s Article 5.

Following these developments, a “coalition of the willing” has expressed readiness to play a role in providing security guarantees for Ukraine by deploying military contingents on its territory. However, the nature of US support remains unclear. The White House has said Washington “can certainly help coordinate and possibly provide other means of security guarantees.”

Trump emphasized that the US would not send its military personnel but did not rule out assistance with “air transport” for allies. The Wall Street Journal reported that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will head a working group of national security advisors and NATO representatives to develop a security guarantee project for Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy openly challenged a territorial map presented in the Oval Office during his 18 August meeting with US President Donald Trump and several European leaders, arguing that the displayed 20% figure of Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory was misleading. Zelenskyy insisted that during the first 1000 days of full-scale war, Russian forces had actually taken only around 1% of Ukraine’s land. 

Zelenskyy to Trump and allies: Russia took 1% in 1000 days, not 20%

Zelenskyy said the US-prepared map overstated Russian gains and distorted global perceptions of Ukrainian military strength. According to him, the real figures painted a very different picture, Suspilne reported.

“People think 20% or 18%, but it was up to 1%,” he said, explaining that “this slightly changes the balance of how strong Russia’s army is and how strong Ukraine’s army is.” He emphasized that Ukraine’s priority remained “truth and reality.”

Speaking to reporters after the summit, Zelenskyy described the exchange over the map as “slight disagreement,” but noted that the conversation was “warm, good, and substantive.” He said both sides brought their own versions of battlefield maps to the Oval Office. 

Zelenskyy also argued that the occupation of territories like Crimea and parts of eastern Ukraine in 2014 did not result from conventional military clashes.

“There were no military operations, for example, in Crimea—no large-scale ones,” he said. “So you cannot say that such a large part was occupied over that period because Russia had a strong army.”

According to Liga, Zelenskyy stressed that explaining when and how each part of Ukrainian territory was seized was essential for helping allies like the US understand battlefield shifts. He noted that such discussions were long but necessary for an accurate joint understanding.

Sensitive territorial issues off-limits to Western allies, Zelenskyy says

Zelenskyy made it clear that any negotiations regarding Ukrainian territory will take place solely between him and Russian dictator Vladimir Putin.

“We’ll leave the question of territories between me and Putin,” he said, according to Liga.

He added that Trump “heard and saw” the important information, presented by the Ukrainian side.

“That’s why the issue of territories is one that we will leave between me and Putin,” he repeated.

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Trump-Zelenskyy meeting

As reported by BBC and others, the Oval Office meeting on 18 August included leaders from across Europe, among them UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. The leaders discussed security guarantees for Ukraine, military aid, and future diplomatic steps.

Following the summit, Trump phoned Putin and said the US was preparing for a possible trilateral summit involving Washington, Kyiv, and Moscow. According to Zelenskyy, such a meeting would follow any bilateral contact between the US and Russia.

“We are ready for bilateral with Putin,” Zelenskyy said outside the White House fence.

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Zelenskyy demands “everything” for security while Trump hints at vague Article 5-like protection

He confirmed that no date had been set for those talks but said that discussions were ongoing.

Macron said European forces may join peacekeeping operations in Ukraine and warned that peace talks could not be delayed for weeks or months. Merz compared Russia’s territorial demands to forcing the US to surrender Florida. Meanwhile, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called again for Russia to return abducted Ukrainian children.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Fox News that territorial compromises from both sides may be necessary to end the war.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is not ready to end the war, French President Emmanuel Macron said on 19 August in an interview with NBC News. The remarks followed a high-level White House meeting involving President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and top European leaders.

This comes as Russia continues its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, while Trump pushes for Ukraine-Russia negotiations to end the war. 

Macron: Putin shows no intent to end war

“I don’t see President Putin very willing to get peace now,” Macron told NBC. He added, “Perhaps I’m too pessimistic,” but pointed to the facts on the ground.

He said Trump’s optimism about securing a deal should be taken seriously.

“If he considers he can get a deal done, this is great news, and we have to do whatever we can to have a great deal,” Macron said.

Russia launched deadly strikes in Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia overnight before the Trump-Zelenskyy talks in Washington.

Macron said it was “impossible” for Ukrainian leaders to negotiate peace while the country is being destroyed and civilians are being killed.

France calls for pressure, warns of more sanctions

Macron stressed that the United States must pressure Russia to find a resolution. He said that if no progress is made in the Trump-announced meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy, or if a trilateral format fails, Russia should face increased primary and secondary sanctions.

“There is an aggressor, which is Russia,” he said. “There is a country which decided to kill people, stole children and who refused a ceasefire and peace, so we cannot just create an equivalent situation between Ukraine and Russia.”

No peace without guarantees, no land swaps

Macron said Ukraine must receive security guarantees to prevent future Russian attacks. Without them, he warned, Russia would not respect any agreement. He said Trump told him that during his 16 August meeting with Putin, the Russian president accepted the need for such guarantees.

He firmly opposed any territorial concessions to Russia.

“I don’t see any swap in the proposal of the Russians, except a swap in comparison with what they wanted at the beginning,” Macron said. He emphasized that territorial issues are for Ukraine and its people to decide.

Lessons of the past 30 years cannot be ignored. French President Emmanuel Macron calls to taking into account all the lessons of the past three decades, particularly Russia’s history of ignoring its commitments after the meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in Alaska, which ended without a peace agreement or sanctions on Moscow.

“The lessons of Russia must not be forgotten”

“It will also be essential to draw all the lessons from the past 30 years, in particular from Russia’s well-established tendency not to honor its own commitments,” Macron claims.

He added that, together with Trump and Zelenskyy, he will act “in a spirit of unity and responsibility,” supporting Ukraine and maintaining pressure on Russia as long as its aggression continues.

Support for Ukraine and steadfast peace guarantees

According to Macron, any long-term peace must be based on unwavering security guarantees and respect for Ukraine’s rights. The French president emphasized the unity of European and Western leaders on this matter.

Willing coalition and concrete progress

Macron also welcomed the US willingness to contribute to strengthening peace.

“We will work on this with them and all our partners within the Coalition of the Willing, with whom we will meet again soon to achieve concrete progress,” the French president adds. 

Alaska’s Anchorage is preparing for the 15 August meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin, as local protesters warn it could lead to a deal undermining Ukraine. The meeting is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. Alaska time (22:00 Kyiv time) at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, a Cold War–era military installation once used to counter the Soviet Union.

Trump and Putin’s first meeting since White House return

This will be the first face-to-face meeting between Trump and Putin since Trump returned to the presidency this January. According to the White House, Trump will leave Washington at 06:45 Eastern time (13:45 Kyiv time) and return early on 16 August, Reuters reports. The Kremlin initially claimed the meeting would begin at 11:30 a.m. local time (22:30 Kyiv time).

Trump previously told reporters on 14 August that he would know “in the first few minutes” whether the meeting was worth continuing, adding it would “end very quickly” otherwise. He said his aim was to “set the table” for another meeting that would also involve Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Speaking to Fox News Radio, Trump said there was a “25% chance” the Alaska talks would fail, according to BBC. He also said “give and take” on boundaries between Russia and Ukraine might be necessary, prompting concern in Kyiv and among allies.

Putin’s praise and demands

AP says Putin praised what he described as Trump’s “sincere efforts” to end Russia’s war in Ukraine. The Russian leader suggested long-term peace could include a nuclear arms control agreement with the US.

Russia demands for a full ceasefire include complete control of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts, full occupation of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, NATO membership ruled out for Kyiv, and limits on Ukraine’s armed forces.

Ukraine rejects these conditions as surrender. A Kremlin source told Reuters some terms could be agreed due to sanctions pressure, but both sides would allegedly face “uncomfortable compromises.”

European and Ukrainian concerns

BBC notes that Zelenskyy and European leaders fear Trump could make concessions without Ukraine’s participation. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer met Zelenskyy in London on 14 August and warned that “international borders cannot be, and must not be changed by force.” Macron said Trump had clarified NATO would not be part of any future security guarantees, but the US and other parties should be involved.

The New York Times reports that five principles agreed in a call between Trump and European leaders include keeping Ukraine “at the table” for follow-up talks, avoiding land swaps before a ceasefire, securing postwar guarantees, and increasing pressure on Russia if negotiations fail.

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Protests in Anchorage ahead of summit

Anchorage Daily News reports that on 14 August, several hundred demonstrators lined busy intersections in Anchorage, waving Ukrainian flags and holding signs critical of both Trump and Putin. One sign read “Putin won’t stop at Ukraine,” while another declared “Zelenskyy should be here,” reflecting demands that Ukraine be included in the talks.

Protesters told ADN they feared the summit would exclude Kyiv from decisions affecting its future. Organizers plan additional demonstrations during the summit, while the Alaska GOP will hold a rally in support of Trump at the same location.

“I’m here protesting to show support for Ukraine and the war effort, but also to protest a war criminal being on US soil, specifically Alaska soil, and also protesting authoritarianism and fascism in general, which Putin and Trump both embody,” one protester told Euromaidan Press.

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BBC reported that Ukrainian MP Oleksandr Merezhko said he has “no high expectations” for the Alaska meeting, calling it “already a diplomatic win” for Putin. He warned that “the fate of Ukraine should be decided by Ukrainians” with the direct participation of President Zelenskyy, and said the lack of transparency around the summit creates “lots of risks” for Ukraine’s security and future.

Editor's note: The story was updated as the President's Office confirmed that following the call with Vladimir Putin, Emmanuel Macron also called Volodymyr Zelensky.

French President Emmanuel Macron and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin held a call on July 1 for the first time since 2022, discussing Russia's war against Ukraine and the conflict in the Middle East, the Kremlin's press service reported.

The conversation between the two leaders took place as the Russian army continues to advance along the front line, trying to gain a foothold in Sumy Oblast and enter Dnipropetrovsk Oblast.

Moscow has repeatedly rejected the U.S.-backed ceasefire proposal, stalling peace talks with Ukraine.

Following the call with Putin, Macron also called Zelensky to discuss his conversation with the Russian president, a source in the President's Office told the Kyiv Independent.

The call between Zelensky and Macron was "constructive," the source added. Putin's position remained unchanged: he does not show any willingness to end the war in Ukraine, according to the source.

The call between Putin and Macron lasted over two hours, BFM TV reported, citing the Elysee Palace.

During the conversation with Macron, Putin called Russian war "a direct consequence of the policy of Western powers" that "ignored Russia's security interests, created an anti-Russian bridgehead in Ukraine," the Kremlin said.

Macron, in turn, noted France's unwavering support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, Suspilne reported, citing the Elysee Palace.

The French president also called for "a ceasefire to be established as soon as possible and for negotiations to begin."

The leaders will continue to discuss Russia's war in Ukraine, according to the Elysee Palace.

The presidents also discussed the situation in the Middle East regarding the Iranian-Israeli conflict and the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.

Macron frequently called Putin in the first year of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Their previous call took place in September 2022.

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The European Union and its allies are ready to toughen sanctions on Russia, French President Emmanuel Macron said on the sidelines of the Group of Seven (G7) summit on June 17.

"With President (Volodymyr) Zelensky at the G7. We stand in solidarity with the Ukrainian people after last night’s massive Russian strikes," Macron said in a post to social media.

"We are determined to increase pressure on Russia to accept the immediate and unconditional ceasefire that Ukraine is ready for," he added.

Macron attended the G7 summit in Kananaskis, Canada, from June 15-17. Global leaders discussed a wide range of topics, including Russia's war against Ukraine.

As the G7 leaders met in Canada, Russia launched one of its worst drone and missile attacks on Kyiv since it began its full-scale war against Ukraine in February 2022, killing 16 people and injuring at least 134.

"The common position that is emerging is to say, 'We need to strengthen sanctions,'" CBC News reported, citing Macron.

Europe is proposing much tougher sanctions than the U.S. has imposed on Russia, Macron said, adding that the EU is in "very close co-ordination" with Canada, Japan, and the U.K.

Several countries, including Canada and the U.K., introduced additional sanctions on Russia as the G7 summit was ongoing.

Canada introduced a new military aid package for Ukraine in addition to its sanctions against Russia.

"In our view, this has changed the situation because it will allow us to bring Russia back to the negotiating table, as (U.S.) President (Donald) Trump has been demanding," Macron said, according to CBC News.

Zelensky attended the summit and met with various leaders, including Macron and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.

Zelensky left the summit early, citing Russia's attack on Kyiv. The nearly nine-hour-long attack saw Moscow's forces launch large numbers of drones and missiles at Ukraine's capital.

Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha condemned the attack, calling it a "massive and brutal strike" timed deliberately to coincide with the G7 summit.

Zelensky described the drone and missile assault as "one of the most horrifying attacks on Kyiv."

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Sitting a few meters from the rubble of what used to be a nondescript nine-story residential building in Kyiv, Lilia rises to her feet every time another pile of debris is cleared from the site targeted by Russia during a mass overnight attack on June 17. “We are waiting (as

The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Denisova