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26-02-2025
WASHINGTON: French President Emmanuel Macron says peace “must not mean a surrender of Ukraine” during a news conference alongside US President Donald Trump at the White House.
The two leaders met to discuss the war in Ukraine on the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of the country.
Trump says the cost and burden of securing peace must be paid for by the nations of Europe, not just by the US.
Macron insists Europe has not shied away from its responsibilities in helping Ukraine.
Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said “we hope that we can finish this war this year, not in three” at a summit of western leaders in Kyiv.
Meanwhile, the UN General Assembly has adopted a new resolution, reaffirming its “commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Ukraine”, the US opposed the resolution and filed its own.
Three years ago today, Ukrainians woke up to a full-scale invasion of their country.
Almost 1,100 days later, and there was a familiar rumble of war this morning as 113 Russian drones were shot down over Kyiv.
As residents marked the unwelcome anniversary among flags in Independence Square, European leaders alongside Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau arrived in the capital for a round table with President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The embattled leader was thankful to hear that more aid is on the way for Ukraine, and was pleased when European Commission leader Ursula von der Leyen suggested the country might join the EU by 2030.
However, across the Atlantic, French leader Emmanuel Macron shook hands (lengthily, as is tradition) with US President Donald Trump in Washington DC.
At the press conference that followed, Trump maintained a desire to recoup “colossal” US funds from Ukraine as part of any peace deal, while Macron urged the need for security guarantees for Ukraine.
The US president was confident, though, that Vladimir Putin wants a deal.
News from New York of a UN resolution affirming Ukrainian sovereignty also spelled positive news for Zelensky though the US voted in opposition to the organization’s new commitment.
The Trump administration’s break with its allies in Europe over the war in Ukraine has reached the United Nations.
Over the past month, Ukraine, the UK and several European countries had negotiated with other states a symbolic resolution in the General Assembly to reaffirm support for Ukraine as it marked the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion.
It became increasingly clear that the US wasn’t going to support it, as it sought a new approach to end the war and began talks with Russia.
Washington put forward its own competing draft, calling for “a swift end to the conflict” and urged “a lasting peace”.
In New York today, both resolutions were adopted by 93 nations. However, the US joined Russia and 16 other countries to vote against the European resolution.
The US abstained on its own resolution after changes were made to it. Amendments by Europeans passed the assembly that made clear that it wasn’t just a conflict, but a full scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia, and reaffirmed Ukraine’s territorial integrity and the need for a just peace.
Then later today, the UN Security Council approved the US-sponsored resolution, but in its original wording before changes were made. The UK and France were among five countries who abstained in that vote. (Int’l News Desk)
