Macron says Ukraine must acknowledge it won't get territories back
4 Min Read
French President Emmanuel Macron urges a negotiated settlement as Western leaders shift rhetoric and prepare for high-level talks amid frozen frontlines and EU sanction debates.
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, right, Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, left, and French President Emmanuel Macron, center, visit the St. Sophia Cathedral in Kiev, Ukraine, Saturday, May 10, 2025. (Stefan Rousseau/PA via AP, Pool)
French President Emmanuel Macron has acknowledged a shift in Western rhetoric on the Ukraine conflict, stating that Ukrainians themselves understand they lack the means to recover all the territory under Russia's control since 2014.
In an interview with TF1 on Tuesday, Macron emphasized the need for a negotiated end to the war, saying, “The war must end, and Ukraine must be in the best possible position to enter into negotiations … Even Ukrainians themselves have the lucidity to acknowledge … that they will not have the capacity to reclaim everything that has been taken since 2014.”
Macron reiterated France’s support for Ukraine but admitted it would not be joining NATO. Instead, he proposed a new framework of “reassurance forces,” where willing allies would deploy troops far from the front lines to signal long-term Western solidarity.
The comments come amid growing signals in the West that a total Ukrainian military victory, including retaking Crimea, is increasingly viewed as unrealistic. Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky admitted in April that Ukraine lacked the weapons to reclaim Crimea by force.
This aligns with recent remarks by US President Donald Trump, who told Time magazine last month that “Crimea will stay with Russia,” suggesting even Zelensky understands this outcome. Trump’s reported peace plan envisions freezing the conflict along current front lines and accepting Russian control over Crimea.
Cautious NATO moves, Russian red lines
France and the UK have floated the idea of sending peacekeepers to Ukraine after a ceasefire, though details remain vague. Russia has warned it would treat any unauthorized foreign troops, particularly from NATO countries, as enemy combatants.
Moscow has consistently framed the referendums in Crimea (2014) and in Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson, and Zaporozhye (2022) as expressions of popular will to join Russia. Ukraine continues to reject Russia’s annexations and refuses to cede its territorial claims.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov confirmed that Moscow is open to discussing a “sustainable settlement” with Ukraine during upcoming talks in Istanbul, scheduled for May 15.
As the frontlines remain largely frozen and both sides face resource fatigue, Macron’s comments may mark a broader pivot toward managing expectations and preparing Western audiences for negotiations that might not include full Ukrainian territorial restoration.
The wider context
US President Donald Trump addressed the conflict on Monday, highlighting an upcoming high-level meeting with Russian and Ukrainian officials. "Thursday's meeting with Russia and Ukraine is very important. I was very insistent that that meeting take place. I think good things can come out of that meeting," he said.
The summit follows weeks of US-led backchannel diplomacy, with European and Turkish mediators facilitating dialogue.
Speaking at a press briefing on Tuesday, European Commission Chief Spokesperson Paula Pinho confirmed that the absence of a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine has prompted the bloc to consider additional punitive measures against Russia.
“We can confirm that in the absence of a ceasefire, as noted by several leaders, including [EU High Representative] Kaja Kallas and [European Commission] President Ursula von der Leyen, we are indeed looking into further sanctions,” Pinho said.
The measures under discussion would constitute the EU’s 17th sanctions package, expected to be finalized during the bloc’s upcoming foreign ministers’ meeting on May 20.
Despite widespread support among member states, Hungary remains a vocal opponent of the EU’s existing sanctions regime, which is set to expire in July unless unanimously renewed for another six months. Budapest has consistently criticized sanctions for their economic impact and has threatened to block any further extensions.
Hungary's resistance poses a significant challenge to EU unity, especially as the bloc considers escalating economic pressure on Moscow in light of the stalled ceasefire process.
Read more: Russia ties ceasefire to halting US, EU arms to Ukraine
