IRIA News

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Paris on December 1, 2025, for hours-long talks with French President Emmanuel Macron, seeking European backing as negotiations accelerate over a U.S.-proposed peace plan to end the nearly four-year war with Russia.

Zelenskyy’s visit came one day after Ukrainian and American officials met in Florida to revise the U.S. draft, which Secretary of State Marco Rubio described as productive.

Both sides have been attempting to adjust elements of the plan, which initially drew sharp criticism from Kyiv and European allies for appearing too favorable to Russian demands.

Ahead of Monday’s talks, Macron’s office said discussions would center on conditions for a “just and lasting peace.” At a joint press conference at the Elysee Palace, Macron reiterated that only Ukraine could decide on territorial issues and that any final arrangement must ensure Ukraine’s sovereignty.

“Ukraine is the only one that can talk about territories, it’s about its own territories, recognized by international law and sovereign,” Macron said. He added that there was “no finalized peace plan to speak of at this time,” emphasizing that negotiations remained in an early phase.

France’s support holds special significance for Ukraine, and I am grateful to President @EmmanuelMacron and his team for their attention to our people and their willingness to help.

Our engagement today was substantive and important – above all, focused on the steps that bring a… pic.twitter.com/aL3mcUokAO

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) December 1, 2025

Zelenskyy echoed the same concerns, describing territorial questions as “the most complicated” issue in the proposal. He said that while the revised draft “looks better,” the process was “not over yet,” he said.

The Ukrainian president highlighted, “These are special days, when a great deal can truly change, and change every single day.”

Europe Seeks a Seat at the Table

Macron, who has positioned France as one of Ukraine’s most vocal supporters, urged that European partners be included in the next stages of peace negotiations. He said issues related to frozen Russian assets, European Union accession, sanctions, and long-term security guarantees could not be decided without Europe’s input.

Earlier on Monday, Macron and Zelenskyy held talks with leaders from Germany, Britain, Poland, Italy, Norway, Finland, Denmark, and the Netherlands, along with EU officials Antonio Costa and Ursula von der Leyen and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte. Macron and Zelenskyy also held phone calls with U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff.

Macron argued that Europeans must play a direct role in shaping guarantees that would protect Ukraine after any ceasefire or peace agreement. He has endorsed deploying a “reassurance force” on land, at sea, and in the air to support Ukrainian security.

US Envoy Heads to Moscow

Even as Zelenskyy met Macron in Paris, Witkoff, the Trump administration’s special envoy, was traveling to Russia for discussions scheduled with President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday.

Witkoff helped draft the initial U.S. framework, a 28-point document that was leaked last month and criticized for echoing Russian demands, including requiring Ukraine to withdraw from some areas and forgo NATO membership.

Washington has since revised the plan following discussions in Geneva and Florida, though the latest contents have not been publicly disclosed. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Monday that the administration remained optimistic about the progress of negotiations.

Rustem Umerov, one of Ukraine’s negotiators, said “significant progress” had been achieved in the Florida talks, though challenging issues remained unresolved. Zelenskyy was expected to fly to Ireland after his Paris visit to receive a full briefing from Umerov.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas expressed concerns about the upcoming Putin-Witkoff meeting, warning that pressure might be placed disproportionately on Ukraine.

Macron Warns Russia Shows no Signs of Compromise

Macron said peace efforts could only move forward if Russia demonstrated a willingness to end its aggression, which he argued had not occurred. He condemned Moscow’s continued missile and drone strikes, which Zelenskyy said were intended to “break” the determination of Ukrainians.

“We are seeing an increase in missile and drone strikes,” Zelenskyy said. “This is serious pressure, not only psychological but also physical pressure on our population.”

Macron also highlighted new U.S. sanctions targeting Russia’s energy sector, calling them a potential “game changer.” He said pressure on Russia’s oil and gas industry in the coming weeks would be the highest since the beginning of the war.

Dire Situation Despite Diplomatic Activity

The flurry of diplomatic engagement has come as fighting on the ground persists. Russian forces claimed on Monday to have captured Pokrovsk, a key logistics hub in eastern Ukraine. A Russian missile strike killed four people in Dnipro the same day, according to regional officials.

Analysis by the Institute for the Study of War showed that by the end of November, Russian forces controlled fully or partially 19.3 percent of Ukrainian territory, the largest advance since late 2024.

Zelenskyy cautioned that Russia must not receive any concession that “it could consider as a reward for this war,” insisting that the aggressor “must pay for the aggression.”

Macron described the moment as “decisive for the future of peace in Ukraine and security in Europe,” but stressed that decisions must remain in Ukrainian hands. He said he hoped upcoming U.S.-Russia talks would help clarify whether Moscow was willing to participate constructively in the peace process.

Despite renewed diplomatic momentum, both Ukrainian and European officials stressed that significant gaps remained, making it unclear whether the accelerated negotiations would yield a breakthrough.