French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday (August 18) said that a Zelenskyy-Putin meeting had been agreed upon during a multilateral meeting held in Washington with Donald Trump, Zelenskyy and several EU leaders.
He added that Trump had said U.S. sanctions on Russia were on the table if Russian President Vladimir Putin proved reluctant to commit to meaningful steps in the peace process.
"(Trump) signalled his willingness and readiness to impose what he calls primary and secondary tariffs. But which we, in fact, call sanctions," Macron said.
"President Trump believes in his ability to reach an agreement, and he also believes that President Putin wants such a peace agreement. I welcome this and I want to believe in it after the meetings there were. But if this process were rejected, we also all agree that sanctions would have to be increased and, in any case, a stance would have to be adopted that would put more pressure on the Russian side to return to the negotiating arena."
Macron also told reporters that the U.S. President had agreed to work with his partners of the 'Coalition of the willing' on the content of security guarantees meant to safeguard a potential peace deal.
He further insisted that European leaders had to be present at the negotiating table in later stages, along with Turkey and "all those whose security is directly affected by the continuation of this conflict."
Macron also expressed his doubts on Russia and Putin's desire for peace, saying "as long as he (Putin) thinks he can win through war, he will do so."
"His ultimate objective is to take as much territory as possible, to weaken Ukraine and to have a Ukraine that is not viable alone or is within the Russian fold."
The U.S. military began a blockade of Iran's ports on Monday, President Donald Trump said, and Tehran threaten...
Greenland’s prime minister has appointed his predecessor to oversee foreign affairs, as pressure from Washington intensifies over the Arctic ...
Türkiye’s foreign minister has appealed for restraint and diplomacy as tensions around the Strait of Hormuz unsettle global markets, war...
The Kremlin has defended sweeping internet restrictions across Russia, saying measures such as blocking messaging platforms and virtual private net...
Italy has suspended a long-standing defence cooperation agreement with Israel, marking a sharp shift in relations as tensions in the Middle East es...
Greenland’s prime minister has appointed his predecessor to oversee foreign affairs, as pressure from Washington intensifies over the Arctic island’s future.
Türkiye’s foreign minister has appealed for restraint and diplomacy as tensions around the Strait of Hormuz unsettle global markets, warning that any military attempt to resolve the crisis could deepen instability rather than ease it.
The Kremlin has defended sweeping internet restrictions across Russia, saying measures such as blocking messaging platforms and virtual private networks are necessary for national security rather than a return to past controls.
Italy has suspended a long-standing defence cooperation agreement with Israel, marking a sharp shift in relations as tensions in the Middle East escalate.
At a time of deepening global polarisation, rising conflict and shrinking space for dialogue, Pakistan is stepping into a historic role. Diplomatic engagements in Islamabad, bringing together regional powers amid the Iran crisis, signal both urgency and opportunity.
U.S. President Donald Trump warned that any Iranian ships approaching ports in the Strait of Hormuz would be "immediately eliminated" on Monday, as the U.S. started its blockade.
The U.S. military began a blockade of Iran's ports on Monday, President Donald Trump said, and Tehran threatened to retaliate against its Gulf neighbours' ports after talks in Islamabad on ending the war broke down at the weekend.
Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry said on Sunday that talks with Pakistan had been positive, while Türkiye stressed the importance of stronger ties between Kabul and Islamabad.
Centre-right Peter Magyar's Tisza Party has won a landslide in Hungary after a night of counting in the Hungarian election. Viktor Orbán has conceded defeat after 16 years in power. "We have done it. Tisza and Hungary have won this election", Magyar said to cheering supporters in Budapest.
Greenland’s prime minister has appointed his predecessor to oversee foreign affairs, as pressure from Washington intensifies over the Arctic island’s future.
The Kremlin has defended sweeping internet restrictions across Russia, saying measures such as blocking messaging platforms and virtual private networks are necessary for national security rather than a return to past controls.
Italy has suspended a long-standing defence cooperation agreement with Israel, marking a sharp shift in relations as tensions in the Middle East escalate.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is preparing legislation that would allow the UK to adopt new EU laws without full parliamentary votes, aiming to speed alignment with European rules in key areas such as trade, energy and food standards.
The European Union has reached a preliminary agreement to restrict foreign metal imports, nearly halving tariff-free steel volumes and imposing 50 per cent tariffs on excess shipments to protect domestic industry.
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