Shafaq News – Paris

Any future peace in Ukraine must be lasting, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday, noting that his hours-long talks with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace focused on ways to end the war.

In a post on X, Zelenskyy wrote that the conflict “must end as soon as possible,” adding that much now depends on the involvement of world leaders. He said further talks with other heads of state were planned later in the day.

Zelenskyy described his delegation’s discussions with US officials on Sunday as constructive, while noting that “difficult issues” remain under negotiation.

Meanwhile, the White House said it is “very optimistic” about the prospects of reaching a deal to end the Russia-Ukraine war, as US special Envoy Steve Witkoff travels to Moscow for talks with President Vladimir Putin.

At a joint press conference with Macron, Zelenskyy said Ukraine’s demands are clear: protecting and securing the country, preserving its independence, and ensuring that no new aggression is launched by Russia.

Macron said security guarantees for Ukraine cannot be discussed without Kyiv and Europe, adding that Ukraine alone has the right to decide the fate of its territory during any peace negotiations with Russia. He noted that “Russia has shown no sign of stopping its aggression.”

Zelenskyy’s visit to Paris followed a meeting between Ukrainian and US officials in Florida, which US Secretary of State Marco Rubio described as “productive.”

The Elysee later announced that Macron spoke with US President Donald Trump about the situation in Ukraine, emphasizing what it called the central importance of the security guarantees required by Kyiv.

On the battlefield, Russian Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov said Russian forces had gained full control of Pokrovsk in Donetsk and Vovchansk in Kharkiv, a claim denied by Ukraine’s General Staff.

Ukraine claimed responsibility on Saturday for striking two oil tankers off the coast of Turkiye.Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) sources cited by local and international mediaexplained that underwater drones targeted vessels linked to Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet” in the Black Sea — a network of older, concealed tankers that Moscow uses to bypass Western sanctions.