France, Britain propose partial one-month Ukraine truce as they aim to be new mediators after Trump-Zelensky spat

France and Britain have put forward a proposal for a partial one-month truce between Russia and Ukraine, excluding ground fighting, as revealed by French President Emmanuel Macron in an interview with the daily newspaper Le Figaro on Sunday, March 2.

Macron outlined that the proposed truce would specifically address air, sea, and energy infrastructure attacks. However, he acknowledged the challenges of verifying compliance with the ceasefire along the front line, which he likened to the distance between Paris and Budapest.

The French President discussed these developments with Le Figaro while en route to London for a meeting with European leaders, hosted by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, aimed at advancing efforts to formulate a peace plan for Ukraine.

This summit in London followed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s tumultuous White House meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump just two days prior. Global leaders have expressed unwavering support for Zelenskiy and pledged increased assistance to Ukraine.

According to Macron, the Franco-British proposal entails the deployment of European ground troops to Ukraine only in a subsequent phase. He emphasized that there are no immediate plans for European troops to be stationed on Ukrainian soil in the near future.

The focus now is on utilizing this time to secure a truce through negotiations that may span several weeks, followed by the deployment of troops once peace is established.

When asked about his awareness of the plan during a press briefing in London, Zelenskiy responded confidently, “I’m aware of everything.”

Macron stressed the importance of European nations increasing defense spending, suggesting a range of 3% to 3.5% of gross domestic product. He also called for the European Commission to explore innovative financing mechanisms for defense expenditures.