Russia's Special Operation in Ukraine

Macron, Starmer Propose Month-Long Ceasefire in Ukraine 'in Air, at Sea'

PARIS (Sputnik) - French President Emmanuel Macron said that he and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer had put forward a proposal for a month-long ceasefire in the air, at sea, and on energy infrastructure in Ukraine.
Sputnik
In an interview with Le Figaro, Macron explained that the proposal does not cover the situation on the ground, since the length of the front makes it difficult to verify compliance with the ceasefire.
"We don't know how to measure it. We need to see that today's front (in length - ed.) is the equivalent of the Paris-Budapest line. In the event of a ceasefire, it will be very difficult to verify its compliance at the front," Macron said.
The French president also said that Western troops would not appear in Ukraine "in the coming weeks."
"There will be no European troops on Ukrainian soil in the coming weeks. The question is how we use this time to try to achieve an affordable ceasefire with negotiations that will take several weeks, and once the peace is signed, only then the deployment of forces," he said, noting that he "does not want peace without guarantees and at any cost."
Macron also expressed confidence in the resumption of dialogue between US President Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky after their spat during Zelensky's visit to the White House.
The French president said that the initial investment in the "common EU defense fund," which he expected to be agreed upon at the EU summit on Thursday, would be "200 billion euros."
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Macron also said he wanted to start discussing the "European aspect" of the use of French nuclear weapons.
"Those who wish to deepen the dialogue with us can, if necessary, be involved in deterrence exercises. These exchanges will contribute to the development of a real strategic culture between Europeans," he noted.
In Macron's opinion, the French army "could go so far as to deploy nuclear weapons in partner countries in cooperation with their armies."
On Sunday, an informal summit of leaders of several European countries was held in London to discuss the situation in Ukraine and collective European security.
During a meeting with permanent members of the Russian Security Council in January, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that the goal of settling the conflict in Ukraine should not be a short truce and a respite for regrouping forces and rearming with the aim of subsequently continuing the conflict, but a long-term peace.