The Secretary of State of the United States, Marco Rubio, and Steve Witkoff, sent to President Donald Trump’s international sent, held high level conversations with Ukrainian and European authorities in Paris on a summit on Thursday (17) to reinforce Ukraine defenses against Russian invasion.
Ukrainian and American authorities had an “excellent exchanges” with their British, French and German counterparts, a source from Elysée (French presidency) said after negotiations, with meetings in Paris providing “a very strong strategic opportunity.”
Ukraine and the three European countries emphasized its support for Trump’s efforts to bring a quick end to the war, according to the source.
More meetings will take place next week in London in the same format, the source added. Tammy Bruce, spokesman for the State Department, did not say whether Rubio would participate in the discussions.
French President Emmanuel Macron said Thursday’s conversations marked “a day of diplomatic mobilization,” in a post on social networks.
The Day of Diplomatic Mobilization.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE AMERICAN DELEGATION, @Secrubio, @Se_middleeastand @Spe_kellogg; The Ukrainian Delegation, @Andriyyermak, @Andrii_sybihaand @Rustem_umerov; As well as the representatives from the united Kingdom… pic.twitter.com/edshgli8hy
– Emmanuel Macron (@emmanuelmacron) April 17, 2025
“Today, we get involved in a positive and constructive discussion on how to achieve both a ceasefire and a comprehensive and lasting peace,” Macron said.
Zelensky thanked Macron for his leadership and for the work done in Paris by representatives of participating countries, in a post on social networks.
“It is important that we hear each other, refine and clarify our positions and work for the real security of Ukraine and all our Europe,” he said.
I spoke for the second time today with the President of France @Emmanuelmacron.
I Am Grateful to Emmanuel for His Leadership and For All Work In Paris by Our Representatives – Ukraine, France, The United Kingdom, Germany, and the United States.
IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE…
– Volodymyr Zelensky / володимир зеленсььий (@zelenskyua) April 17, 2025
Trump told reporters on Thursday that the United States will “hear” the Russians “this week” about the Americans proposal for a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine.
“We will hear them this week very soon, in fact, and we will see. But we want it to stop. We want death and murder to stop,” the president told reporters in the Oval Hall.
Trump added that although he is not a “big fan” of Zelensky, he does not consider the Ukrainian leader responsible for the war.
“I don’t consider Zelensky responsible, but I’m not exactly excited about the fact that the war began. It was a war that would never have started if I were president,” Trump told reporters.
If Trump’s promise to end war on a day was reversed, the hope of ensuring a complete truce until Easter – this weekend – it is also likely to fail. Russia has intensified its attacks against Ukraine in recent weeks, despite Washington’s initiatives with Moscow.
For Kiev’s European allies, the summit offered a chance to evaluate the Trump government’s thinking about the war in Ukraine. Ukrainians and their allies have been alarmed by Trump and Witkoff conversations at Kremlin, and may have seen negotiations as a chance to disturb and dislodge these perceptions.
After meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin, for the third time last week, Witkoff told Fox News that any peace agreement in Ukraine will be centered on the “so-called five territories,” referring to Crimea, the Ukrainian Peninsula and the four continental Ukraine regions that Russia has occupied since its large scale invasion, having previously suggested that previously suggested that previously suggested that previously suggested that previously suggested that previously suggested that previously suggested that previously suggested that previously suggested that previously suggested that previously suggested that previously suggested that previously suggested that previously suggested that previously suggested that previously suggested that previously suggested that previously suggested that previously suggested that previously suggested that previously suggested that previously suggested that previously suggested that previously suggested that previously suggested that previously suggested that previously suggested that previously suggested that previously suggested that previously suggested that previously suggested that previously suggested that previously suggested that previously suggested that previously suggested that previously suggested that before Kiev could have to give in to a truce.
Oleksandr Merezhko, a member of the Parliament of Ukraine, told the CNN On Tuesday that Witkoff “with all due respect… may be inadvertently trying to push pro-rusa narratives.”
A distant agreement
Despite its ambitious promises, the Trump administration has struggled to negotiate a lasting peace agreement between conflict countries.
After the White House briefly cut gun supplies and sharing information to Ukraine in March, Kiev quickly agreed with the US ceasefire proposal of 30 days.
After separate conversations with Russian and Ukrainian authorities at the end of the same month, the White House said they both agreed with the ceasefire in the energy infrastructure and the Black Sea-only for Kremlin to announce that the agreement will only implement the sanctions on their banks and exports are raised.
The center to combat misinformation, a Ukrainian reflection group, pointed out that the alleged truce did little to restrict Russia’s aggression. Within 22 days after the truce, the Russian army killed almost 2.5 times more Ukrainian than during the same period before it was announced, the center said in an update on Tuesday.
In a sign of growing irritation with Moscow, Trump said last week that “Russia has to move,” but has not provided deadlines or ultimatum if not.
While the Paris summit was underway, Kirill Dmitiev, a high Russian negotiator, said many countries are trying to “interrupt” Russia’s dialogue with the US. He said Putin’s last meeting with Witkoff was “extremely productive,” but the dialogue was taking place in “very difficult conditions – constant attacks, constant misinformation.”
This content was originally published in “excellent exchanges”: USA, Europe and Kiev debate war in Ukraine on the CNN Brazil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
