French President Emmanuel Macron has made a high-profile statement regarding the future actions of the international community in the context of the war in Ukraine
According to him, in the coming weeks—approximately within eight to ten days—world leaders will intensify efforts to increase diplomatic pressure on Russia in order to persuade Moscow to cease hostilities and withdraw its troops from Ukrainian territory. Macron announced this in an interview with the French magazine Paris Match, emphasizing that such a step is crucial for achieving peace. The French leader highlighted that this is a very responsible period during which actions must be taken with utmost caution and mutual support, as much depends on Moscow’s position. "In the next 8–10 days, we plan to intensify pressure on Russia. I remain cautious because resolving this situation largely depends on the Kremlin's stance. But we keep the balance: we need to act as a united team," Macron stressed. He added that the value of these two weeks will be determined by the international community's ability to develop a unified stance and propose new diplomatic measures to Russia. The main goal is to persuade the Kremlin to take steps towards ending the war and returning Ukraine to peaceful life. The French President also noted that he has managed to convince his colleagues in the U.S. of the importance of strengthening sanctions and other pressure measures on Vladimir Putin’s regime. The possibility of introducing new sanctions packages to further severely restrict the Russian economy and military potential is also under discussion. Macron expressed optimism about the prospects for ending the conflict, stating that a ceasefire is "closer than ever before." Although cautiously, the French leader believes that peace is becoming more attainable, as global diplomacy actively works to create conditions for stopping hostilities. He specifically highlighted the recent meeting between Volodymyr Zelensky and Donald Trump at the Vatican, which, in the French president’s opinion, helped amplify international pressure on Russia ahead of anticipated further steps. It is worth recalling that earlier, on April 6th, Emmanuel Macron called for a swift and comprehensive ceasefire in Ukraine and criticized Russia for mocking peaceful proposals aimed at resolving the conflict. He noted that ongoing shelling by Moscow undermines any attempts to establish negotiations and forces Ukrainians to fight for their brighter future. Furthermore, on April 26th, after a visit to Rome, the French president again called for active efforts towards finding peace. After meeting with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky, Macron emphasized that Ukraine is prepared for an unconditional ceasefire and urged Russia to make a corresponding move in this direction, stressing that Moscow must demonstrate its willingness to engage in dialogue to stop the bloodshed and restore peaceful life in the region. From his words, it is clear that the global community is now working responsibly to end the bloodshed and achieve the long-awaited peace for Ukraine.