Paris – French President Emmanuel Macron proposed Geneva as a potential venue for a peace summit involving Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, following discussions with US President Donald Trump, reports 24brussels.
Macron’s suggestion surfaced after a critical meeting with Zelensky at the White House on Monday, reinforcing the expectation that the summit will take place in Europe.
Why did Macron suggest Geneva as the summit host city?
In a broadcast with French news channel LCI, Macron emphasized the need for a neutral location, stating, “It will be (hosted by) a neutral country, maybe Switzerland — I’m pushing for Geneva — or another country.”
He referenced the previous round of talks that occurred in Istanbul between May and July, noting, “The last time there were bilateral talks, they were in Istanbul.”
Additionally, Macron announced that France and the UK would convene on Tuesday with other Ukrainian allies to update them on developments related to security guarantees for Ukraine, a central issue during the discussions with Trump.
“Right after that, we’ll start concrete work with the Americans. So as of tomorrow (Tuesday), our diplomatic advisers, ministers, chiefs of staff begin work on seeing who’s ready to do what,” Macron explained. He affirmed that the decision regarding territorial concessions rests with Ukraine, stating, “Ukraine will make the concessions it deems just and right.”
However, Macron cautioned against premature legal recognition of territorial changes, emphasizing, “let’s be very careful when we talk about legal recognition.” He further asserted, “If countries… can say, ‘we can take territory by force’, (that) opens a Pandora’s box.”
What was discussed at the White House meeting on Ukraine?
During a pivotal gathering at the White House on Monday, US President Donald Trump engaged in discussions with Zelensky and various European leaders about potential resolutions to the ongoing Ukraine-Russia conflict. Trump hinted at possible timelines for bilateral meetings involving Putin and Zelensky and a trilateral meeting including himself.
Agreement emerged among the leaders regarding the urgency of ending hostilities, with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz suggesting a ceasefire before negotiations commence. However, Trump did not fully endorse this proposition.
The talks addressed security guarantees for Ukraine, with Trump vaguely indicating that several European nations would coordinate with the U.S., but specifics remained unclear. He also mentioned potential U.S. involvement in the conflict, though he did not disclose details about troop deployments.
