Macron says limiting Ukraine aid would pave way to 'another war'

French President Emmanuel Macron said Saturday that countries seeking to limit aid to Ukraine want to impose an "unjust peace" and warned that it was a recipe for another war.

The French leader's statement posted on social media comes as the United States mediates talks between Ukraine and Russia in a bid to end the war that started with Moscow's 2022 full-scale invasion.

"Those who want to ration aid to Ukraine wish underneath it all to force an unjust peace on it" and, by extension, all of Europe, Macron said.

"That is the spirit of defeat. That is a recipe for another war. That cannot be France's position."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in comments released Saturday that Washington has suggested Kyiv cede land to Moscow in exchange for Ukraine joining NATO.

US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff met both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Zelensky separately on Thursday, after two days of talks in Abu Dhabi which ended with no breakthrough.

Negotiations did, however, lead to agreements that European countries will join future talks on ending the war.

On Friday, in Dublin, Europe chose five countries – France, Germany, Italy, the UK and Poland – to send representatives to the talks.

"Europe must take full part" in the work to bring about a "fair and lasting peace" in Ukraine, Macron said.

"What happens in Ukraine concerns us directly... Helping Ukraine defend itself is protecting France and the French."

The French president said that Ukraine's allies must clearly set out, including to Russia, its postwar vision and "we must also detail what we expect of the United States for Europe's long-term security".

Macron added that he believed "Vladimir Putin does not want to negotiate" and was trying to break Ukraine by stepping up drone and missile strikes against civilians and energy infrastructure as winter closes in.

"That means we must keep up our financial backing and helping Ukraine protect its population, its power plants and its grids," he said.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)