French President Emmanuel Macron has announced that Ukraine’s allies will increase pressure on Russia in the coming days.
In an interview with the French weekly magazine Paris Match, Macron said the next two weeks will be crucial in the effort to achieve a ceasefire in Ukraine.
Macron believes he has persuaded the Americans to adopt a tougher stance against the Russians, with the possibility of escalating threats and potentially introducing sanctions against Moscow.
US President Donald Trump is keen to reach a truce as soon as possible. Ukraine also insists on a ceasefire, while Russia continues to set conditions.
Macron mentioned that he spoke to Trump in the middle of last week to encourage him to take a firmer line against Russian President Vladimir Putin.
He added that he spoke briefly with the US president at Pope Francis’s funeral on Saturday in Rome.
Meanwhile, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has told his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, that it is time to end the “senseless war” in Ukraine, according to a statement released on Monday by the State Department.
The statement followed a call between the two officials on Sunday.
