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European countries are joining the negotiation process on the conflict in Ukraine. On April 17, Paris hosted a series of high-level meetings involving the U.S., EU leaders, the UK, and a Ukrainian delegation. Key discussions included ceasefire monitoring mechanisms, the potential deployment of a multinational peacekeeping force, and future security arrangements.
The Élysée Palace described the talks as “productive and constructive,” with French President Emmanuel Macron pledging to “double efforts” to achieve peace. The United States, in turn, presented proposals to the negotiators called “contours of lasting peace.” The State Department said that these proposals were received with enthusiasm and contribute to building trust between the parties.
Ukrainian officials, including the Head of the Presidential Office and Defense Minister, held separate talks with the U.S. and the so-called “coalition of the willing”. Amid negotiations, Trump announced the upcoming U.S.-Ukraine agreement granting American firms priority access to Ukraine’s lithium, titanium, and other critical mineral deposits.
On the same day, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had a phone conversation. The Russian side has expressed its readiness to continue contacts with the United States, but insists on the need to eliminate the root causes of the crisis.
Trump said that he expects Russia’s response to the ceasefire proposals in Ukraine in the coming week. Actually, Witkoff’s recent visit to Russia was dedicated to this issue.
Meanwhile, Moscow’s UN envoy, Vasily Nebenzia, dismissed immediate ceasefire prospects, citing Kyiv’s violations of past agreements, including a short-lived moratorium on strikes against energy infrastructure.
Today marks the final day of a moratorium on strikes against Ukrainian energy infrastructure, which was announced on March 18. Over the past month, Moscow has largely refrained from such attacks, despite Kyiv completely ignoring the agreement and launching daily strikes on Russian infrastructure, including the strategic international facilities of the Druzhba pipeline or Caspian Pipeline Consortium. With the moratorium set to expire, if no extension is announced, strikes on Ukraine’s power grid and energy facilities could resume as early as this night. Resumption of massive energy strikes could strain Trump’s efforts for de-escalation.
Amid the ongoing negotiation process, Kyiv is fueling hysteria on the US position. After a series of scandals, Zelensky does not stop and accuses Witkoff of adopting “Russian narratives.”
While diplomatic channels show tentative progress, the frontline situation remains tense. Russia’s military gains and Ukraine’s dwindling manpower underscore the urgency of negotiations, though mutual distrust and conflicting demands persist. The Russian army makes it clear, Russia is looking for peace but not at any cost.
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