Zelensky
By Olayiwola Mercy
Zelensky landed in Paris on Monday, stepping onto the Elysee Palace grounds for a sit‑down with French President Emmanuel Macron. The meeting is the latest stop on a whirlwind diplomatic tour aimed at dranking up European backing for a ceasefire after almost four years of brutal fighting in Ukraine.
Just hours before the Paris talks, Ukrainian and U.S. negotiators had met in Florida. Both sides called the session “productive,” and said they were ironing out revisions to a U.S.–authored 28‑point peace framework that many European allies felt leaned too far toward Russian demands.
Macron’s team stressed that any settlement must come with iron‑clad security guarantees for Kyiv. The French president has even floated the idea of a “reassurance force” on land, sea and air to protect Ukraine if a ceasefire or broader deal is reached.
Across the Atlantic, President Donald Trump sounded upbeat about the prospects of a deal, describing the 28‑point plan as a “concept” that can be fine‑tuned. His special envoy, Steve Witkoff, is slated to travel to Moscow this week for follow‑up talks with Vladimir Putin.
Back in Kyiv, a corruption scandal has shaken the government, prompting Zelensky to dismiss his chief of staff and top negotiator Andriy Yermak. Western allies have warned that the turmoil could undermine the already fragile peace negotiations.
Even with the flurry of meetings, the core issues—whether Ukraine will have to cede territory, what security guarantees will look like, and the future of NATO membership—remain unresolved. Analysts say the road to a durable peace is still a long one, and much will depend on how the next round of talks in Moscow and Brussels unfolds.
