French President Emmanuel Macron announced that France and the United Kingdom have proposed a one-month ceasefire in air and maritime operations, along with a halt to strikes on energy infrastructure, as part of a new peace initiative for Ukraine. This proposal, which does not include ground combat, has been presented to both Kyiv and Moscow, as reported by Le Figaro on March 2.
Macron noted that implementing a complete ceasefire along the front line—comparable in length to the distance from Paris to Budapest—would be “extremely challenging” to oversee.
He characterized the aerial and naval ceasefire as an initial step towards more extensive peace negotiations, suggesting that European forces could potentially be deployed to Ukraine in the future.
“We can manage this. The front line today stretches as far as the distance from Paris to Budapest. If a ceasefire were to be established, verifying adherence along such a vast area would be quite difficult,” Macron stated.
He underscored that Europe is committed to achieving peace, but not at any price and without necessary assurances. Additionally, he expressed hopes for a reduction in tensions between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
In light of the situation, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has called for an emergency European summit in London, aimed at creating a “coalition of goodwill” to safeguard Ukraine’s security following the conclusion of the conflict.
London and Paris are set to unveil their collaborative strategy for ceasing hostilities, developed in conjunction with Ukraine and potentially one or two additional countries, according to Starmer.
He emphasized that for a sustainable peace, Ukraine needs to maintain a robust negotiating stance, which necessitates a European security guarantee along with support from the United States.
“This is a comprehensive agreement—all three components must be established,” Starmer asserted.
Previously, Trump mentioned that during his phone conversation with Vladimir Putin on February 12, he proposed a potential ceasefire arrangement.
However, Putin reportedly maintained that a permanent end to hostilities was necessary, contending that a temporary ceasefire would likely result in renewed conflict within six months.
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Subsequently, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov indicated that there would be no halt to hostilities along the contact line in Ukraine.
In the meantime, the Kremlin has categorically dismissed any possibility of European peacekeepers being deployed in Ukraine, labeling the notion as “unacceptable.”
Earlier, Starmer urged the United States to offer a security “backstop” for any forthcoming European peacekeeping initiative in Ukraine, asserting that such a measure is essential for ensuring a lasting peace for Kyiv rather than merely a temporary ceasefire.
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