The Albany Gazette - Macron warns of Russia 'desire for war' ahead of Ukraine security summit

Macron is on Thursday to welcome European leaders alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to agree what security guarantees Europe can offer Ukraine once a ceasefire deal is reached in the more than three-year-old war.

Speaking alongside Zelensky in Paris, 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".

"Russia shall have no right of say regarding the support we are providing and will provide Ukraine, nor shall they set the conditions," Macron said.

"There is just one aggressor and one party that is resisting," he said.

He 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," he added.

Zelensky said he was expecting "strong decisions" from the meeting on Thursday, which was also due to be attended by the likes of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and British Premier Keir Starmer.

"Now is definitely not the time to reduce pressure on Russia or weaken our unity for the sake of peace," he said.

- 'Card in the hands' -

Zelensky also accused Russia of dragging out the conflict despite the American overtures for peace.

"Russia wants this war to continue. It is dragging it out. We need to put pressure on Russia so that the war ends indeed," he said.

Once a settlement is agreed, one key element could be sending European forces to ensure Russia does not attack Ukraine again.

Zelensky said it was too early to discuss specific roles of future European forces in Ukraine, after a key aide, Igor Zhovkva, told AFP in Paris that Ukraine needed a robust European presence and not just peacekeepers.

Zelensky said the question now was about "who will be ready" to take part in such missions. "It's too early to say," he added, referring to what role the forces could play.

He added: "No one wants to drag any country into a war."

He said European contingents would be important for control.

"In any case, a contingent is a combat force, but they are there primarily to control the situation, monitor the situation, conduct joint training, and ensure that Russia does not have any desire to return with aggression," he said.

Macron stressed that European forces would not be in Ukraine to fight. "It is a pacificist approach."

But the French president also outlined how the situation on the ground could look after a ceasefire, with a dividing line. The question will be "what the mechanism" will be to monitor the peace, he said.

A European force could be "a card in the hand of the Ukrainians" that would "dissuade the Russians" from launching another attack, he said. But such a force would not be on the front line, he added.

Macron also said it was "much too early" to consider lifting sanctions against Russia.

"Ultimately, sanctions depend solely on Russia's choice of aggression, and therefore, their lifting depends solely on Russia's choice to comply with international law," he said.

(A.Johnson--TAG)