Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Paris on Monday, for the second time in two weeks, to meet with French President Emmanuel Macron in a critical week for Ukraine's future. "The two leaders will discuss the situation and conditions for a fair and lasting peace, in line with the Geneva talks and the U.S. plan and in close consultation with our European partners," a spokesperson for the Elysee Palace reported.
Zelenskyy and Macron will also assess the "work done on security guarantees within the framework of the Volunteer Coalition" involving 35 countries and with an emerging infrastructure on the outskirts of Paris, "ready to be operational from day one once peace is achieved."
Also on the table, the future of the Donbass region and the possible territorial concessions initially included in the American plan in 28 points, "which has been extensively amended," according to French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot.
"Peace is within reach if Russia abandons its illusory hope of rebuilding the Soviet empire by subjugating Ukraine," warned Barrot in an interview with La Tribune Dimanche. "Putin must accept the ceasefire or face the determination to expose Russia to new sanctions that would drain its economy."
"We have spared no effort to ensure that everything is done in the interest of peace in Ukraine and security for Europe," added Barrot, downplaying the absence of European representatives in the talks held in Florida between Ukrainian and American negotiators.
"We have succeeded in getting the United States to express for the first time its intention to work with us on preparing security guarantees; that is, on the military elements that will help prevent any further aggression once peace is achieved," Barrot added.
Zelenskyy returned to Paris two weeks after signing a military cooperation agreement with Macron that will allow the Ukrainian army to have 100 French-made Rafale fighters within an unspecified period. His visit, accompanied by his wife Olena Zelenska, has a moral dimension this time, with the launch of the campaign "Bring Back the Children," "to recover the 2,000 Ukrainian children torn from their families by Russia" (in the words of Jean-Noël Barrot).
Zelenskyy's visit to Paris, where he will also visit Ireland on Tuesday as part of a new European tour, will also serve to boost the so-called "Ukraine Season," with a series of artistic events that will travel throughout France paying tribute to "the resilience of the Ukrainian people against Russian aggression."