ISTANBUL

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Saturday that he will travel to London for high-level talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, as part of efforts to assess the situation in Ukraine and advance ongoing negotiations under US mediation.

In a statement posted on US social media company X, Macron condemned Russia’s latest overnight attacks targeting Ukraine’s energy and railway infrastructure, warning that Moscow “is locking itself into an escalatory path and is not seeking peace.”

“I firmly condemn the massive strikes that targeted Ukraine last night, particularly its energy and railway infrastructure,” he said.

“We must continue to exert pressure on Russia to compel it to choose peace.”

Macron said Monday’s meeting in London will review battlefield developments as well as diplomatic efforts being pursued within the framework of the “Coalition of the Willing,” a group of countries coordinating support for Kyiv alongside the US.

He stressed that Ukraine “can count on our unwavering support,” adding that France and its partners will continue working with Washington to define security guarantees for Kyiv.

“We will continue these efforts with the Americans to provide Ukraine with security guarantees, without which no robust and lasting peace will be possible,” he said.

Macron underlined that what is at stake extends beyond Ukraine’s borders.

“For what is at stake in Ukraine is also the security of Europe as a whole,” he added.