Macron’s Concerns Over Russia’s Intentions
Emmanuel Macron has expressed concern about Russia’s persistent “desire for war,” even as efforts continue for a ceasefire. European leaders, including Volodymyr Zelenskyy, convened in Paris to explore how Europe could provide security assurances to Kyiv if a lasting truce is established. Macron pointed out that Russia has attempted to set “new conditions” and has not responded to Ukraine’s offer of a 30-day ceasefire “without preconditions”. He commended Kyiv for “taking the risk of peace.”
Coalition Meeting and Military Support
The meeting on Thursday gathered leaders from the “coalition of the willing,” a group of countries led by Britain and France, which is considering sending peacekeeping troops to Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire. Macron had announced a new €2bn ($2.15bn) military aid package for Ukraine the day before, with France prepared to swiftly deploy existing military hardware from its reserves.
Unclear Ceasefire Situation
As of now, there is still no mutually agreed ceasefire in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. Russia has stated that it would only agree to ceasefire conditions related to lifting sanctions and re-access to the Swift international banking system for Black Sea shipping. While the US indicated a willingness to consider Russia’s sanctions requests, the EU suggested that sanctions would only be lifted following the unconditional withdrawal of Russian forces from Ukraine. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio acknowledged that reaching an agreement would be challenging and could take time, but he recognized that discussions are underway.
Continued Attacks Despite Claims of Moratorium
Russia has proclaimed adherence to a month-long moratorium on attacking Ukrainian energy targets as declared by Vladimir Putin; however, Ukrainian officials report ongoing drone and missile strikes causing blackouts and damage to energy facilities. Without a genuine ceasefire, Russia accuses Ukraine of violations, including attacks on gas storage in Crimea, a region Ukraine claims as its own. President Zelenskyy asserts that Russia’s consistent attacks indicate its lack of genuine interest in achieving peace.
Recent Casualties and Attacks in Ukraine
Recent reports indicate that four individuals were killed and six injured across Ukraine during the night into Wednesday. According to the Ukrainian air force, they managed to intercept 56 of 117 attacking drones, out of which 48 were identified as decoys that caused no damage. Following these events, Russian forces reportedly conducted a mass drone attack on Kharkiv, resulting in nine injuries and significant damage, alongside fires sparked in the city center.
N. Korea’s Military Support to Russia
Meanwhile, North Korea has sent an additional 3,000 troops to Russia this year and continues to provide missiles, artillery, and ammunition, according to South Korea’s military joint chiefs of staff. Of the initial deployment of 11,000 soldiers, around 4,000 are believed to have been either killed or injured.
US-Ukraine Minerals Deal and Diplomatic Relations
The US-Ukraine critical minerals agreement was brought up again, with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent revealing that “a completed document for the economic partnership is under review by Ukrainians, and we aim to engage in full discussions and possibly secure signatures next week.” In the previous week, the White House had suggested they had “moved beyond” this deal to focus on peace initiatives, only for President Trump to contradict that by stating the agreement would be finalized “very shortly.”
International Legal Concerns and Responses
Relations between Kyiv and Washington are “back on track,” according to Andriy Yermak, chief of staff to Ukraine’s president. Following tense discussions at the Oval Office the previous month, two rounds of talks in Saudi Arabia about a potential ceasefire provided an opportunity for Kyiv to demonstrate its capability to collaborate with US officials on ending the conflict.
In a notable development, Russia sentenced 23 captured Ukrainians for terrorism in what Kyiv described as a sham trial. The convicted included members of the Azov brigade and personnel with non-combat roles. Ukraine’s human rights representative condemned the verdicts as “illegal,” emphasizing that Ukrainian prisoners of war are combatants defending their nation. Additionally, 2024 saw Ukraine facing its worst wildfires in over 30 years due to frontline shelling, as reported in an EU document indicating that the forest fires in Ukraine consumed over double the area impacted by fires across the entire EU in 2024.
