French President Emmanuel Macron said Saturday that any lasting peace in Ukraine must be grounded in firm security commitments, following U.S. President Donald Trump's summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska. "It is essential to continue supporting Ukraine and to maintain pressure on Russia as long as its war of aggression continues and until a solid and lasting peace, respectful of Ukraine's rights, has been established," Macron wrote on X, formerly Twitter. He emphasized that "any lasting peace must be accompanied by unwavering security guarantees," and welcomed the U.S. administration's apparent readiness to contribute in this regard. Macron's remarks came after Trump's meeting with Putin on Friday and subsequent calls with European leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Trump, who previously called for a ceasefire as a first step, has now shifted to endorsing a broader peace agreement. "We will work on this with them and with all our partners in the Coalition of the Willing, with whom we will meet again soon, to make concrete progress," Macron said, noting the need to learn from "Russia's well-established tendency not to honor its own commitments." France, he added, would continue working closely with Washington and Kyiv "to safeguard our interests in a spirit of unity and responsibility." "France remains firmly at Ukraine's side," Macron concluded. Trump and Putin described their three-hour talks in Alaska as productive, with both leaders expressing optimism. Trump later said it was now up to Zelenskyy and European leaders "to get it done," hinting that most issues had been resolved, apart from "one or two significant items." — Agencies
