The distance comparison between Emmanuel Macron And Vladimir Putin It intensifies. The French president raised the tones and relaunched the diplomatic initiative with a clear proposal: a ceased for 30 days in Ukraine, starting from the negotiations scheduled for tomorrow in Istanbul, Turkey. Otherwise, he warned, “in the next few days new and harsh penalties will start”, concerted with Washington. But that’s not all: the Elisha owner also returned to talk about atomics, with a strong and clear message to the Tsar.
Macron spoke live up yesterday on TF1underlining that Paris remains at the forefront in supporting Ukraine, but with a realistic message also addressed to Kiev: “He must have the lucidity to recognize that Not all territories lost since 2014 can be recovered“. A signal, perhaps, of opening towards a negotiation that points at the end of the conflict, even if Macron has specified that a possible direct dialogue with Putin” will only be possible once the war ended “.
The head of the Elysée did not go back to the contempt of the Kremlin’s response and reiterated firmly: “Our security is at stake in Ukraine”. Hence the proposal of a respite on all fronts – land, sea and sky – to allow a humanitarian and political margin. “We do not look for an escalation, but a useful break to encourage negotiations,” he added, remembering the already heavy effect of European sanctions on the Russian economy.
On the delicate issue of a Possible western military presence in Ukraine – One of his obsessions – Macron tried to reassure. A possible Franco-British contingent can only be deployed with concluded conflict and with exclusively dissuasive function: “We do not want to enter a direct war with Russia”. And he added: “Ukraine will not enter NATO, but will need its own strong army to guarantee safety”.
As previously anticipated, the opening to a possible dialogue with Poland on the installation of a French nuclear deterrent on its territory. “Just as the United States keep tested in Germany and Belgium, we must also reason in European terms,” he explained. A perspective that, however, according to Macron will have to respond to three clear criteria: “No cost paid by France for the safety of others, no impact on our defensive capacity, and the final decision always in the hands of the President of the Republic”. In short, the usual Macron who did not give up the dream of guiding Europe despite the various flops collected by the outbreak of the war.
The climate remains incandescent. To dominate the scene is the verbal escalation that seems to remove rather than encourage a diplomatic solution. About the Istanbul summitZelensky has renewed his availability to a face -to -face meeting with Putin, declaring himself ready to make “everything” in order to start a direct confrontation. But from Moscow, at the moment, no confirmation arrives. On the contrary, sources close to the Kremlin consider the presence of the Russian leader to the negotiating table in Türkiye unlikely.
International pressures are multiplying to encourage dialogue. Donald Trumpwho announced the participation of the Secretary of State Marco Rubio in the interviews, he said he was confident in “good results”, while renouncing his direct involvement, hypothesized only 24 hours earlier. The American president warned the West not to let himself be dragged “in an infinite war in Europe”, underlining the need to avoid an uncontrolled escalation.
Signs of firmness also arrive from Europe. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has reiterated that the union is ready to adopt new penalties against Moscow, if concrete signs of opening to dialogue will not emerge. On the same line, the Ukrainian President Zelensky, who asked for “the strongest sanctions ever adopted”, underlining that a possible absence of Putin in Istanbul would be a “clear signal” of the non -Russian will to stop the conflict.
At the center of the negotiationsexplain diplomatic sources, the territorial nodes remain. Russian Foreign Deputy Minister Serghei Ryabkov reiterated the request for the Kremlin: “The recognition of the entry into the Russian Federation of the new territories”, referring to the Ukrainian regions today under military control of Moscow. A line that, at the moment, appears incompatible with Kiev’s requests. Other sensitive themes are the management of the Zaporizhzia nuclear power plant, currently controlled by the Russians, and Ukrainian access to the Black Sea and the Dnipro river. Steve Witkoff, a special envoy of the United States who had four recent interviews with Putin, explained that “the distances remain broad, but is working to reduce them”. And he confirmed that informal contacts with both sides are underway, also thanks to cooperation with the councilors for the security of France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom.
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