Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio are holding talks with European counterparts in Paris on Thursday.
According to a statement from the U.S. Department of State, the discussions aim “to advance President Trump’s goal to end the Russia-Ukraine war and stop the bloodshed. While in Paris, he will also discuss ways to advance shared interests in the region.”
Ukrainian Chief of Staff Andriy Yermak said he, Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga, and Defence Minister Rustem Umerov are in Paris for talks with officials from France, Germany, the UK, and the US.
The talks come amid continued Russian missile attacks on Ukrainian cities, including Dnipro, Odesa, Sumy, Kharkiv, and Donetsk. In response, President Zelensky urged international partners to “put pressure on the killers,” adding, “We must put pressure on the killers and help life in order to end this war and guarantee a reliable peace.”
The Kremlin welcomed the Paris meeting, describing it as an opportunity to brief European officials on Witkoff’s recent discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated, “Unfortunately we see from Europeans a focus on continuing the war,” but noted that the United States remains engaged with Europe and Ukraine.
During an unannounced visit to the Ukrainian port city of Odesa on Tuesday, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte voiced support for diplomatic efforts led by former President Donald Trump to end the war in Ukraine, while also criticizing Russia’s ongoing military actions.
Last week, President Zelensky said that Moscow has not shown a willingness to pursue effective peace proposals, and called on Ukraine’s allies to increase military support.
On April 3, Secretary Rubio and U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker arrived in Brussels for a meeting with NATO foreign ministers. Ahead of the talks, Rubio told reporters, “The United States is as active in NATO as it has ever been,” and emphasized, “We’re going to remain in NATO,” adding that President Donald Trump has clearly expressed his “support” for the alliance.
