'Trump wants peace, Putin wants Ukraine's surrender': Here's what Macron said ahead of high-stakes Trump-Zelensky meet

French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday (August 17) stressed that Russian President Vladimir Putin does not want peace, while US President Donald Trump wants peace in Ukraine. This comes just a day ahead of a high-stakes meeting between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Macron, when asked about whether he thinks Putin wants peace. The French president replied, "The answer is no. Do I think President Trump wants peace? Yes...) I think he (the Russian president) wants Ukraine's surrender, and that's what he has proposed."

He further said that an important moment of conflict and security of Ukraine is being resolved "in an extremely serious situation". “No country can accept the loss of territories unless it has security guarantees for its remaining territory.”

The goal for White House meeting

Laying out the goal for tomorrow's meeting at the White House, Macron said, "The goal is simple - to recall what unites Ukraine, Europe, and the United States," pointing to Russia.

"There can be no territorial discussions about Ukraine without Ukrainian leaders," the French president stressed.

He added that if partners are weak with Russia, they create preconditions for future conflicts.

"If we are weak today, we will pay a heavy price tomorrow … If Europe wants to be free and independent, we need to be feared and we need to be strong.”

In order to have a “lasting peace deal for Ukraine, Ukraine needs a strong army", he said, adding that European allies want "Ukraine’s territorial integrity to be respected” and that “Ukraine must be represented in any talks on Ukraine’s future.”

He added that “our goal for tomorrow’s talks is to present a united front between Ukraine and its European allies.”

Macron further warned that “if we show weakness today in front of Russia, we are laying the ground for future conflict.”