French President Emmanuel Macron has expressed openness to supporting any diplomatic efforts led by former US President Donald Trump to resolve the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Macron stated that if Trump could successfully convince Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war, France would play its role in the process.
“If Donald Trump can convince Putin to stop the war, that’s great. We will play our role in the process,” Macron said, emphasising France’s commitment to peace.
Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy courts Trump’s role in peace negotiations
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he would meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin only after a shared peace plan has been negotiated with US President Donald Trump.
Zelenskyy highlighted Trump’s pivotal contribution towards ending the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, unveiling that the US president had given him his private phone number ahead of the Munich Security Conference.
This follows Trump shocking decades of unshakeable US support to Ukraine after talking to Putin via a phone call earlier this week.
Vance’s Munich speech emphasises free speech, migration
Meanwhile, US Vice President JD Vance addressed the Munich Security Conference, delivering a speech that largely focused on free speech and illegal migration in Europe rather than the ongoing war in Ukraine.
“If you’re running in fear of your own voters, there’s nothing America can do for you,” Vance warned European leaders, urging them to act swiftly on immigration issues.
Citing a recent attack in Munich by a 24-year-old Afghan asylum-seeker, Vance maintained that governments need to confront concerns about unvetted immigration in the minds of the people.
His speech, with hardly any reference to the Ukraine war, raised anxiety among European leaders regarding the Trump administration’s priorities on foreign policy.
US calls for NATO burden sharing
Before making his speech, Vance met privately with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, and British Foreign Secretary David Lammy.
In those meetings, he reaffirmed the Trump administration’s insistence that allies raise their military spending, noting that: “We want NATO to be built for the future, and that means Europe must take on more of the burden so that the US can focus on challenges in East Asia.”
Rutte acknowledged that Europe has to do its part, with him stating, “We have to grow up and spend much more.”
Chernobyl drone strike sparks security concerns
Hours before a meeting between Zelenskyy and Vance was to take place, a Russian drone attack on the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant’s protection shell in Ukraine.
Though levels of radiation did not change, Zelenskyy characterised the attack as an open letter from Putin to the security conference.
The Kremlin denied responsibility for the attack, with Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova also adding that Russia had not been invited to the Munich conference for several years.
US Secretary of State Rubio delayed due to travel problems
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who was also scheduled to accompany Vance and Zelenskyy, was held up after his Air Force jet had to return to Washington due to mechanical issues. He took another plane and was set to arrive on time for the discussions.
Trump signals shift in Ukraine policy
Trump’s recent talk with Putin has caused concern in Europe, especially since he has indicated that a peace agreement could involve Ukraine giving up Russian-occupied land.
“The Ukraine war has to end,” Trump said to reporters. “Young people are being killed at levels that nobody’s seen since World War II. And it’s a ridiculous war.”
Trump’s hesitation on ongoing US military assistance to Ukraine left European allies wondering about their own security guarantees under NATO.