Two US officials will hold talks in Paris with European politicians as the US and Europe search for common ground on ending the Ukraine war and averting an Iran conflict.
In the talks slated for today, Thursday, April 17, 2025, the US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, and special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, are expected to hear concerns about Russia amid so-far fruitless US attempts to arrange a ceasefire three years after Russia invaded its neighbour.
Rubio and Witkoff will meet the French President, Emmanuel Macron, as well as British and German figures, including the UK Foreign Secretary, David Lammy.
Top Ukrainian officials were also in Paris. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s Chief-of-staff said, Andriy Yermak disclosed on social media that he has landed in Paris with Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha and Defence Minister Rustem Umerov.
He added that they planned to meet representatives of France, Germany, Britain and the United States, without specifying who.
Thursday’s talks will be an opportunity for potential coordination between US and Europe.
European leaders have grown more concerned as US President, Donald Trump has heaped pressure and criticism on Zelenskyy, while instead making diplomatic gestures to the Russian President, Vladimir Putin.
France, Britain and Germany were surprised by Trump opening discussions on improving ties with Russia, but have sought a coordinated European response to protecting Ukraine during the conflict and in any ceasefire.
Meanwhile, US President’s frustration with Russia and Ukraine over the war has been increasing and he has been threatening military action against Iranian nuclear facilities.
Polish Foreign Minister, Radosław Sikorski, said early this week that he hoped Trump and his administration would see that Putin was “mocking their goodwill” after Moscow’s deadly missile strike on the Ukrainian city of Sumy.
No specific proposals for the talks have been made public.
Britain and France have proposed a mainly European “reassurance” force prepared to go to Ukraine if a ceasefire starts.
However, many European leaders say it would need US support.
Besides Macron, the French foreign ministry said that Rubio would also meet his French counterpart, Jean-Noël Barrot, to discuss Ukraine, prospects for a new Iran nuclear deal and the Middle East.
Witkoff plans to fly on to Rome for a second round of discussions on Saturday with the Iranian Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, about Iran’s nuclear programme.
They met for 45 minutes in Oman on Saturday. Both sides described those talks as positive while acknowledging any potential deal remained distant.
Partners Urged To Exert Pressure
Setting the scene for the meetings in Paris, Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged partners to “put pressure on the killers” after another Russian attacks on Dnipro, Odesa, Sumy, Kharkiv and Donetsk overnight, which left three people dead, and 28 injured.
In a post on Telegram, he said that every defence package for Ukraine is “literally protecting lives,” as “Russia uses every day and every night to kill.”
“We must put pressure on the killers and help life in order to end this war and guarantee a reliable peace.
“I want to thank all the partners who are using their capabilities in this way. Wars are stopped by force – [the use of] force against the aggressor … in defence of life.”
Meanwhile, the Kremlin welcomed the meeting in Paris as a chance for Witkoff to update Europeans on his long conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin last week.
Kremlin Spokesman, Dmitry Peskov said, “The United States is continuing to work in this direction with the Europeans and with the Ukrainians.”
However, he added that Russia so far saw that European powers were focused on a continuation of the war.
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