French President Emmanuel Macron may become Europe's representative in negotiations with the Russian leadership to conclude peace in Ukraine, the British newspaper The Daily Telegraph reports, citing a source from the Elysee Palace.
According to the publication's interlocutor, the French leader will be ready to take on this role “when the right moment comes“, but the source emphasizes that the time for this has not yet come. As the publication notes, Macron is being urged to take such a step by other members of the “coalition of the willing”, indicating that he previously maintained close contact with Russian President Vladimir Putin. At the same time, according to the publication, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer does not plan to negotiate with Moscow.
"The Coalition of the Willing" has concluded that at least one European leader should enter into a direct dialogue with Putin on the topic of Ukraine. According to Finnish President Alexander Stubb, "France or Britain should talk to Putin". According to the press secretary of the Russian President Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin has not yet received signals from Europe about readiness for dialogue and a desire to organize negotiations with the Russian leader.
Macron told reporters in March that he would be ready to resume dialogue with Putin when both Europe and Ukraine decide that the time is right.
The head of the European People's Party (EPP) and its parliamentary group in the European Parliament, Manfred Weber, called the possible sending of military personnel from EU countries to Ukraine after the end of the conflict "a starting point" for the creation of a European army.
“Ensuring peace in Ukraine could be a starting point for the creation of a European army within NATO“, he said in an interview with the Funke media group. According to him, this would be a “logical response“ from the EU, including “ from Trump“.
At the same time, Weber called on the future German cabinet to purchase weapons from the United States to a lesser extent. “Almost 80% of the German government's funds for military purchases were spent on American products. From now on, European taxpayers' money should buy European products and create European jobs”, he said. Weber called on the EU to create a unified missile defense system, jointly implement satellite surveillance and ensure cybersecurity.
"Europe must never again find itself in a situation where its security and well-being will depend on who sits in the White House. Now we must build a European security architecture that can no longer be rolled back, regardless of who and where in Europe will rule," said the EPP leader. According to him, by 2030 the EU must be strong enough to be able to defend itself independently.
On March 27, a summit of the so-called "coalition of the willing" was held in Paris, at which representatives of about 30 countries discussed possible security guarantees for Kiev after the end of the Ukrainian conflict. One of the main topics was the potential deployment of military forces on Ukrainian territory. The United States did not take part in this summit. At the same time, according to media reports, a number of countries are ready to participate in a peacekeeping mission in Ukraine, only if it has support from Washington.
Weber also said that the EU should not be afraid of a confrontation with Washington on trade issues after Trump announced tariffs.
The EU is ready for a deal, but on equal terms. April 2 was a dark day and, of course, a huge mistake for Trump,“, said Weber.
"We need to conclude an agreement with Mercosur, that is, with South America, and reach a trade agreement with India. These new trade agreements are anti-Trump," said the EPP leader. At the same time, Weber warned against strengthening the EU's cooperation with China. "This is certainly not a model for the future for us, and China should not and cannot replace the United States as the leading power in world trade," he said.
On April 2, Trump announced the introduction of tariffs on products from 185 countries and territories. The universal tariffs of 10% will take effect on April 5, individual tariffs on April 9. In addition, the US administration introduced a 25% tariff on all imported cars from April 3. Trump declared a state of emergency in the country due to the economic situation.