"If Trump can truly convince Putin to stop Ukraine aggression, it's great news": French Prez Macron

Macron on Friday further emphasised that if this happens, then Ukrainians alone can lead the discussions for "solid and lasting peace."

Sharing a post on X, Macron wrote, "I just spoke with President @ZelenskyyUa. If President @realDonaldTrump can truly convince President Putin to stop the aggression against Ukraine, that is great news. Then, it will be the Ukrainians alone who can drive the discussions for a solid and lasting peace. We will help them in this endeavor."

He added, "And we, Europeans, will need to strengthen our collective security and become more autonomous. France will fully play its role in accelerating this process. A stronger and more sovereign Europe, let's make it happen now."

Meanwhile, Zelenskyy said that he had a "productive conversation" with Macron and emphasised the importance of developing a joint strategy with the US and Europe for a "just peace."

In a post on X, Zelenskyy wrote, "I had a productive conversation with French President @EmmanuelMacron. I informed him about today's meeting with U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance and my recent phone call with President Trump."

"We must develop a joint strategy with the U.S. and Europe to bring about a just peace and sit all at the negotiation table together. We discussed many key issues, including security guarantees and France's concrete proposals. It is crucial that we share the same vision of what a just end to this war should look like. I appreciate France's efforts for our collective security and its commitment to the principle: "Nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine," he added.

Notably, Trump on Wednesday (local time) held a telephone conversation with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin and revealed that he had a productive phone call with him. They agreed to kick-start negotiations aimed at ending the conflict in Ukraine immediately. Trump said that he and Putin agreed to have their respective teams start negotiations immediately and begin by calling Ukraine President Zelenskyy regarding the conversation.

Russia and Ukraine have been engaged in conflict since February 2022. Since the war between Russia and Ukraine started, India has called for a peaceful resolution of conflict through dialogue and diplomacy. India has also expressed its willingness to contribute in all possible ways to facilitate an early return of peace. (ANI)