Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will return to France for the second time in two weeks on Monday, as he navigates the most challenging political and military situation since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Zelensky's talks with French President Emmanuel Macron come as the United States pushes its plan to end the war and Kyiv confronts a corruption scandal that cost its lead negotiator his post.
Zelensky and Macron will discuss "the conditions for a just and lasting peace", the French presidency said, two weeks after the leaders last met on 17 November.
"We will welcome President Zelensky to Paris to move negotiations forward," French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot told La Tribune Dimanche newspaper.
"Peace is within reach, provided [Russian President] Vladimir Putin abandons his delusional hope of rebuilding the Soviet Empire by first subjugating Ukraine. Ukraine belongs to the Ukrainian people and them alone."
In a warning to Russia, Barrot added: "Vladimir Putin must accept the ceasefire or accept exposing Russia to new sanctions that will exhaust its economy, as well as intensified European support for Ukraine."
Fresh talks with US
Zelensky's visit comes the day after a Ukrainian delegation was in the US to thrash out the details of a proposed peace plan, developed by President Donald Trump after negotiations with Russia.
The plan – which requires Ukraine to parts of its territory, cap its military and commit never to join NATO – has been met with alarm by Kyiv and Brussels. EU foreign policy chiefs insist that any agreement must have the backing of both Ukrainians and Europeans.
Negotiations this week have focused on revising the framework, though it is not yet clear what changes have been agreed.
Europe demands more work on US peace plan to end Russia-Ukraine war
Senior Ukrainian officials including Rustem Umerov, head of Ukraine's security council, sat down in Florida on Sunday with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law.
"The end goal, obviously, is not just the end of the war," Rubio said as the talks began. "It's also about securing an end to the war that leaves Ukraine sovereign and independent and with an opportunity at real prosperity."
Speaking for Ukraine, Umerov expressed appreciation for the American diplomatic efforts: "US is hearing us," he said. "US is supporting us. US is working beside us."
Corruption scandal
Trump said earlier this week that he would send envoys to Moscow in the coming days for a meeting with Putin about the plan.
Zelensky has been forced to change his negotiating team after his powerful chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, resigned on Friday over a corruption scandal.
Yermak's home was searched by investigators probing the embezzlement of some €90 million from Ukraine's energy sector through kickbacks paid by contractors, a case that has triggered public outrage as Russia hammers the country's power grid.
Corruption scandal exposes ‘absolute impunity’ in Ukraine’s energy sector
Yermak had previously been Zelensky's lead negotiator with the US, and his removal is seen as a serious blow to the president.
It comes as Ukraine faces a mounting Russian offensive. On Saturday, Russian drone and missile attacks in and around Kyiv killed at least three people and wounded dozens more, officials said.
(with newswires)
