(MENAFN) France’s president on Saturday restated Paris’ unwavering backing for Ukraine in its struggle against Russia, emphasizing that Ukraine’s future "cannot be decided without the Ukrainians."

Emmanuel Macron noted that he reiterated France’s commitment to Ukraine during a telephone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

He stressed that they remain resolute in aiding Ukraine, acting in a spirit of solidarity and advancing the efforts carried out within the framework of the Coalition of the Willing.

"Ukraine’s future cannot be decided without the Ukrainians, who have been fighting for their freedom and security for over three years now," Macron stated on X, alluding to the ongoing conflict that began in February 2022.

His comments followed remarks by US President Donald Trump on Friday, who suggested that "there will be some swapping of territories" to reach a peace settlement.

Macron added: "Europeans will also necessarily be part of the solution, as their own security is at stake."

In a statement, the UK government indicated that during the call with Zelenskyy, Starmer looked ahead to a gathering of national security advisers from Europe, Ukraine, and the US, scheduled for Saturday and hosted by UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy along with US Vice President JD Vance.

According to the statement, they concurred that this meeting would serve as a crucial platform to evaluate progress toward achieving a fair and enduring peace.

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