Zelensky Turns to Europe After Talks With U.S. Officials

Ukraine’s priority in peace talks is getting security guarantees and maintaining its sovereignty, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Monday in Paris, amid a fresh round of hastily unfolding diplomatic wrangling over the U.S.-led effort to end the war with Russia.
Mr. Zelensky was in France as part of a blitz to shore up support from European allies, as all sides pushed to exert their influence in the talks about a peace proposal. He met for hours with President Emmanuel Macron and also touched base with Steve Witkoff, a special envoy for President Trump. Mr. Witkoff is expected to meet with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia in Moscow on Tuesday.
In Paris, Mr. Zelensky was given a warm embrace from Mr. Macron, who reiterated Europe’s commitment to supporting Ukraine and stressed that only Kyiv can make decisions about whether to cede any territory.
After stalling for months, talks about a potential peace plan got a jump-start in recent weeks, surpassing previous efforts by the Trump administration to broker an end to the nearly four-year war.
The White House has been putting pressure on Ukraine to agree to its proposal while also signaling that it was open to addressing its concerns. But the peace effort still faces serious challenges, particularly since Russia has signaled resistance to it.
Despite the renewed diplomatic efforts, there has been little indication that gaps between the sides have narrowed.
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