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French President Emmanuel Macron hosted a high-level summit at the Elysee Palace in Paris on April 17, 2025, to revive momentum toward ending the war in Ukraine.

This was the first time top American, Ukrainian, and European officials convened for direct discussions on the resolution of the conflicts since U.S. President Donald Trump took office.

The marathon day of diplomacy unfolded in three stages, beginning with separate meetings between delegations and culminating in a closed-door multilateral roundtable chaired by Macron. The French leader called the discussions “an important convergence” and confirmed that follow-up talks would take place in London next week, keeping the spotlight on Europe’s central role in facilitating dialogue.

The U.S. delegation was led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and presidential envoy Steve Witkoff, both key figures in President Trump’s renewed push for a negotiated ceasefire. Witkoff, who has met Russian President Vladimir Putin three times in recent months, is considered the administration’s chief conduit for engagement with Moscow.

Rubio later wrote on X that the delegation was seeking “real, practical solutions to end the Russia-Ukraine war.” U.S. State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce added that Rubio had also spoken by phone with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov earlier in the day, delivering the same message as he did in Paris.

“President Trump and the United States want this war to end, and have now presented to all parties the outlines of a durable and lasting peace,” Bruce said. “The encouraging reception in Paris to the U.S. framework shows that peace is possible if all parties commit to reaching an agreement.”

Until now, Washington had pursued separate diplomatic tracks: bilateral negotiations with Ukraine and Russia, with limited European involvement. The latest Paris meeting signals a significant shift toward a more inclusive format that integrates European perspectives into ceasefire planning, possibly addressing concerns in European capitals that Trump’s solo diplomacy with Moscow was sidelining long-standing allies.

A new diplomatic frontline

President Macron has emerged as one of Europe’s key figures in the conflict’s diplomatic dimension. His willingness to host and facilitate talks, even in the face of Trump’s unilateral overtures to Moscow, signals a recalibrated European strategy to assert influence over any post-war settlement.

Macron has kept open channels with both Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Trump in recent weeks, speaking with Zelenskyy twice on Thursday alone. Meanwhile, Zelensky’s top aides, Chief of Staff Andriy Yermak, Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga, and Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, were in Paris for meetings with officials from France, Germany, Britain, and the United States.

Although the full list of attendees remains undisclosed, the summit is believed to be the first instance in which Steve Witkoff has met senior Ukrainian officials face to face, marking a potential breakthrough in aligning U.S. and Ukrainian positions on ceasefire parameters.

Witkoff had stated earlier this week, following his latest trip to Moscow, that he sees “a peace deal emerging,” suggesting that Russia may be softening its position or at least willing to test the waters of an international peace framework.

War continues despite diplomatic push

The diplomatic flurry in Paris comes at a time when the human cost of the war remains painfully evident. Just hours before the summit began, a Russian drone strike in the city of Dnipro killed three people, including a young girl, Ukrainian authorities reported.

Earlier in the week, missile attacks in Sumy and Kryvyi Rih claimed dozens more lives, including children, underscoring the urgency of achieving a ceasefire.

Despite more than three years of conflict and intermittent peace overtures, Russia has continued its assault on Ukrainian cities while hardening its diplomatic demands.

Moscow insists Ukraine must recognize the annexation of four of its regions and abandon aspirations of NATO membership, preconditions Kyiv has categorically rejected.

Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov reiterated Moscow’s stance in his call with Rubio, according to a statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry. “S.V. Lavrov confirmed Moscow’s readiness to continue joint work with American colleagues with the aim of eliminating the original causes of the Ukrainian crisis,” the ministry said.

Frustration in Europe over uncertainty from Washington

European leaders remain wary of the Trump administration’s long-term intentions regarding regional issues. The White House has yet to commit U.S. military resources to back any potential peace enforcement mechanism, despite proposals from a 30-nation coalition, led by Britain and France, to provide peacekeeping support in a post-ceasefire scenario.

There’s also frustration among European allies regarding a broader set of U.S. policies. Trump’s decisions to impose tariffs on key allies, openly question NATO’s value, and even float the idea of buying Greenland have raised concerns about Washington’s reliability. Thursday’s Paris summit may help bridge some of those divides by giving European stakeholders a more central role in the ceasefire process.

While the Paris talks represent progress, the path to peace remains fraught. Ukraine and its Western backers must still navigate Russia’s rigid demands, ongoing military aggression, and shifting U.S. strategies under Trump’s leadership.

Further complicating matters is the broader geopolitical environment. On Saturday, U.S. and Iranian officials are scheduled to resume talks on Iran’s nuclear program in Italy, following recent discussions in Oman. Simultaneously, French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu will travel to Washington for talks with U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to address issues including Ukraine, Iran, and Gaza.

This web of negotiations underscores the interconnectedness of current global crises and the pivotal role of coordinated diplomacy in shaping outcomes.

For now, the focus shifts to London, where the next round of talks is expected to continue efforts to broker a comprehensive ceasefire in Ukraine. Whether the momentum built in Paris can be sustained, and whether it leads to a real halt in the fighting, remains the critical question.