French President calls for increased sanctions if Russia fails to comply, as European leaders rally at White House summit
French President Emmanuel Macron has cast serious doubt on Vladimir Putin’s willingness to end the war in Ukraine, warning that the Russian leader shows no genuine interest in peace despite Donald Trump’s optimism about striking a deal to end the three-year conflict.
In an exclusive interview with NBC News’ “Meet the Press” moderator Kristen Welker on Monday, following high-stakes White House talks, Macron delivered a stark assessment of the situation. “When I look at the situation and the facts, I don’t see President Putin very willing to get peace now,” the French president stated. “But perhaps I’m too pessimistic.”
The candid remarks came after an extraordinary day of diplomacy at the White House, where Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and a heavyweight delegation of European leaders gathered to discuss the path forward following Trump’s summit with Putin in Alaska last Friday.
Macron acknowledged Trump’s efforts whilst maintaining his scepticism. “The optimism of your president is to be taken seriously. So if he considers he can get a deal done, this is great news, and we have to do whatever we can to have a great deal,” he said.
The French president insisted that increased pressure on Russia remains essential, particularly if Putin fails to engage constructively in the peace process Trump has outlined, which includes direct talks between Putin and Zelenskyy, followed by trilateral negotiations.
“If the Russians don’t comply with this approach, yes, we have to increase the sanctions, secondary and primary sanctions,” Macron declared, emphasising the need for accountability. There is an aggressor, which is Russia. There is a country which decided to kill people, stole children and who refused a ceasefire and peace, so we cannot just create an equivalent situation between Ukraine and Russia.
Security guarantees for Ukraine emerged as a central theme of Monday’s discussions, with Macron warning that any peace deal without such provisions would be worthless. “If you make any peace deal without security guarantees, Russia will never respect its words, will never comply with its own commitments,” he stressed.
The French president noted with cautious optimism that Trump had indicated Putin’s acceptance of security guarantees during their Alaska meeting, calling it “one of the key points” from the summit.
Russia’s military actions during the diplomatic talks underscored Macron’s concerns about Moscow’s intentions. As world leaders convened in Washington, Russian forces launched deadly overnight attacks on Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia, killing at least seven civilians including an entire family with a toddler in Kharkiv, according to Ukrainian authorities.
It’s impossible for a Ukrainian president and Ukrainian officials to have talks about peace as their country is being destroyed and as their civilians are being killed,” Macron observed, highlighting the grim reality facing negotiators.
On the contentious issue of territorial concessions, which Trump has suggested might be part of a final settlement, Macron rejected any notion of land swapping. “I don’t see any swap in the proposal of the Russians, except a swap in comparison with what they wanted at the beginning,” he said, whilst acknowledging that territorial questions ultimately rest with “the Ukrainian president and for the Ukrainian people to discuss.”
The White House summit brought together an unprecedented gathering of European leaders, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, demonstrating Europe’s united front on the Ukraine crisis.
Macron, who has emerged as one of Europe’s most vocal leaders on the conflict, reiterated his March warning that Russia poses a threat to the entire continent. What’s happening in Ukraine is extremely important for Ukrainian people, obviously, but for the whole security of Europe, because we speak about containing a nuclear power, which decided just not to respect international borders anymore,” he said.
The French president linked the Ukraine crisis to broader questions of Western credibility, warning that the response to Russian aggression would set precedents for global security. The way we will behave in Ukraine will be a test for our collective credibility in the rest of the world,” he emphasised.
A separate but related controversy has emerged over Ukraine’s mineral resources, with Trump pushing for a deal that would grant the United States access to Ukraine’s rare earth elements and other valuable minerals. The bilateral agreement, which has undergone multiple revisions, would see future American military assistance count as part of US investment into a joint reconstruction fund used to develop Ukraine’s natural resources.
Ukraine, which holds approximately 5% of global rare earth element reserves, has insisted any mineral agreement must come with security guarantees. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy previously rejected an initial US proposal demanding a $500 billion share of Ukraine’s minerals in exchange for aid already provided, with Trump subsequently calling him “a dictator.
During Monday’s discussions, Macron appeared to offer cautious support for the minerals arrangement, noting he anticipated Trump would “sign a deal on rare earth minerals” and expressing satisfaction with “this very strong American involvement.
The diplomatic efforts come as Trump revealed plans to set up a direct meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin, followed by a trilateral summit including himself. Following Monday’s talks, Trump wrote on Truth Social that he had called Putin for about 40 minutes from the Oval Office to discuss the arrangements.
However, the path to peace remains fraught with obstacles. Secretary of State Marco Rubio acknowledged on Sunday that a ceasefire was “not off the table,” though Russia has not agreed to stop fighting. Meanwhile, Trump has placed increasing pressure on Zelenskyy, writing on Truth Social that Ukraine must give up Russian-annexed Crimea and abandon any hope of joining NATO.
European leaders’ response to the crisis reflects deep concerns about the continent’s future security architecture. Macron stated that European countries “need to do more… to more fairly share the security burden that your country has been carrying for so many years”, whilst proposing that a European peacekeeping force could be deployed as part of any eventual settlement.
As negotiations continue, the human cost of the conflict remains starkly evident. Ukraine’s air force reported that Russian forces launched 140 drones and four missiles at Ukraine overnight on Sunday, with 88 drones shot down. The attacks have continued despite diplomatic overtures, reinforcing doubts about Moscow’s commitment to peace.
Macron’s warning about Putin’s intentions reflects broader scepticism amongst European leaders about the prospects for a rapid resolution to the conflict. His call for maintaining pressure through sanctions whilst pursuing diplomatic channels represents an attempt to balance hope for peace with the harsh realities of dealing with an adversary who has shown little willingness to compromise.
The French president’s assessment carries particular weight given his extensive diplomatic engagement with Putin over the years. His blunt evaluation that he doesn’t see Putin as “very willing to get peace now” serves as a sobering counterpoint to Trump’s more optimistic projections about ending the war quickly.
As the diplomatic marathon continues, with further meetings planned between the key players, the international community watches anxiously to see whether Trump’s dealmaking approach can succeed where previous efforts have failed, or whether Macron’s pessimism about Putin’s intentions will prove justified.
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Image Credit (Shortened):
President Emmanuel Macron, “Choose Europe for Science” event at the Sorbonne (5 May 2025) – by Christophe Licoppe / European Union Audiovisual Service, licensed under CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
