Macron: Persuading Putin to End the War is Good News, but Ukrainians Must Decide

French President Emmanuel Macron commented on the potential influence of Donald Trump on peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, reports NewsBox.

He noted that if Trump can convince Vladimir Putin to halt aggression, it would be "excellent news," though he emphasized that Ukrainians should play the key role in further negotiations, writes BBC.

"If Donald Trump can indeed persuade President Putin to end the aggression against Ukraine, it would be great news. After that, it will be up to the Ukrainians alone to conduct discussions for a solid and enduring peace. We will assist them in this," Macron wrote in both English and French.

In his post, the French leader also touched upon the European Union's budgetary policies, continuing a topic raised in an interview with the Financial Times. He believes that the EU's set limits on budget deficits (no more than 3% of GDP) and national debt (no more than 60% of GDP) are outdated, especially given the need to increase defense spending.

On the same day, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen confirmed at the Munich Conference that these limits will be reviewed.

"We Europeans must strengthen our collective security and become more autonomous. France will play a leading role in this process," Macron emphasized.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has not yet published his version of the conversation with Macron nor commented on potential talks with Putin.