Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer and France's President Emmanuel Macron following a meeting during a summit at Lancaster House in central London. Photo: AFP / Pool
France and Britain are proposing a one-month truce in Ukraine "in the air, at sea" after crisis talks in London, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Sunday (local time).
In an interview with France's Le Figaro newspaper, Macron said that such a truce would not, initially at least, cover ground fighting.
The problem there was it would be very difficult to check that it was being respected given the size of the front line, he said.
Peacekeepers would be deployed at a later date, he said, adding: "There won't be European troops on Ukrainian soil in the coming weeks."
At the table in London, we are all determined to take action for a strong and lasting peace in Ukraine and to ensure our collective security. pic.twitter.com/jMGvD105Gi
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) March 2, 2025
Macron also suggested that European countries should raise their defence spending to between 3.0 and 3.5 percent of GDP to respond to Washington's shifting priorities and Russia's militarisation.
"For three years, the Russians have spent 10 percent of their GDP on defence," he told the paper. "So we have to prepare for what's next."
- AFP
