War in Ukraine: Macron thinks that a "truce" is possible in the "coming weeks", air alert in kyiv

A truce "in the coming weeks" , Russia open to European participation in the settlement of the conflict: Ukraine's allies are timidly hoping for a turning point after more than three years of war, while warning against an agreement that would amount to the "capitulation" of Kiev.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday morning, the entire Ukrainian territory was again placed on air alert, and cruise missiles were heading towards kyiv, according to the authorities.

Le Figaro takes stock of the situation.

A truce “in the coming weeks”?

In Washington on Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron tried to influence the position of his American counterpart Donald Trump , as will British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday . Since coming to power on January 20, Donald Trump has reversed American policy towards Ukraine. He has multiplied the insults towards its president Volodymyr Zelensky , going so far as to attribute responsibility for the war to him, negotiated directly with Russia while leaving Kiev and the Europeans out of the picture, and dangled before Moscow "major economic development operations" .

Also read War in Ukraine: Macron and Trump underline their common goal of achieving peace

The war in Ukraine could end "within a few weeks," Donald Trump assured on Monday, also declaring that Volodymyr Zelensky could come to the White House "this week or the next" to initial an agreement on American access to Ukrainian minerals, demanded by Washington in compensation for its military support for Kiev. "First we need a truce. I think it could be concluded in the coming weeks," Emmanuel Macron also affirmed in an interview with the Fox News channel, after his meeting with Donald Trump. "If it is not respected, it will be the best proof of the fact that Russia is not serious," he added.

Plan for the deployment of a European force

Emmanuel Macron had previously estimated that his American counterpart had "good reasons" to renew dialogue with Russian President Vladimir Putin. A new meeting between Russian and American diplomats is planned for the end of the week, according to Moscow, after that of February 18 in Saudi Arabia of the foreign ministers of the two countries, Sergei Lavrov and Marco Rubio. For their part, the United Kingdom and France are working on a plan to deploy a European force in Ukraine, once a peace agreement is concluded, in order to dissuade Russia from attacking again.

In return, both countries hope for "solid security guarantees" from the United States. Donald Trump assured on Monday that Vladimir Putin would accept this scenario. And this even if after his meeting with Marco Rubio, Sergei Lavrov had affirmed that the deployment of troops from NATO countries in Ukraine would be "absolutely unacceptable" . Vladimir Putin nevertheless said on Monday that he was open to European participation in the settlement of the conflict. "Europeans, but also other countries, have the right and the possibility to participate. And we respect that," he declared during a televised interview.

Also read: US ready to negotiate new relationship with Russia without Europeans or Ukrainians

The United States allied itself with Russia on Monday in unprecedented votes at the UN on the Ukrainian conflict, pushing its idea of ​​a quick peace without condemnation of Moscow or defense of the territorial integrity of Ukraine, 20% of whose territory is occupied by Russia. Sergei Lavrov warned that Moscow will not cease hostilities until the negotiations produce a result "that suits Russia" . Moscow is demanding in particular that Kiev cede five fully or partially occupied regions, and that it renounce joining NATO. This has led Europeans to fear that the agreement sought by Washington will in fact mean the pure and simple defeat of Ukraine. "We want peace. This peace cannot mean the capitulation of Ukraine," warned Emmanuel Macron in Washington.

Missiles are heading towards kyiv

An air raid warning is in effect across Ukraine Tuesday morning and cruise missiles are heading toward kyiv, authorities said. “The air raid warning continues. Stay in shelters until the danger has passed,” the Kiev region military administration said on Telegram. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, launched on February 24, 2022 on the orders of Vladimir Putin, has sparked the worst conflict in Europe since World War II, leaving tens or hundreds of thousands dead, millions of refugees and destroying entire cities under bombardment.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has predicted that Vladimir Putin will not give in. "His goal remains the capitulation of Ukraine," she warned. "This year should be the year of the beginning of real and lasting peace," Volodymyr Zelensky said on Monday as he chaired a summit in Kiev with about 20 foreign leaders.