TRANSCRIPT:
In Paris, European leaders arrived at the Elysee Palace one by one, greeted by a beaming Emmanuel Macron.
This was the third summit to discuss the so-called ‘coalition of the willing', countries that could provide troops after a ceasefire, or at the very least, logistical support.
The host giving some details of what he now calls a “re-assurance force” rather than ‘peacekeepers’, European troops deployed to ‘strategic locations’ in Ukraine - not necessarily the frontline.
"Today, these reassurance forces are a French-British proposition, it has been agreed by Great Britain and France, it is desired by Ukraine, and it has also been agreed by several member states that have signalled their desire to join in. There is no unanimity on it today, that is known, but we do not need unanimity to do this."
Aside from the UK and France, no other leaders have publicly committed troops.
So British and French defence chiefs will travel to Ukraine next week to begin preliminary planning.
Russia labelling it warmongering.
Maria Zakharova is the Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson.
"London and Paris continue to hatch a plan of military intervention in Ukraine. All of this is disguised under some peace mission."
President Macron accepts the initiative may never receive American support, Donald Trump’s Ukraine envoy has labelled it ‘simplistic’.
"We have to hope for the best but prepare for the worst. And so my wish is for the Americans to be engaged by our side and my wish is for the Americans to provide support or even active participation in all of this - because it is good for their European allies, it is good for NATO, it is good for all of us."
Volodymyr Zelenskyy - insisting his relationship with President Trump is back on track - is urging the White House to be tougher on Moscow, alleging Russia has broken the energy ceasefire by attacking a facility in Kherson.
"The evidence will be prepared and transferred to the U.S. After that, we expect for the reaction from the U.S. – as they told us – that they will react to violations."
The Ukrainian President indicating he does not want Washington to think he’s against a proposed mineral extraction deal, but says the delay is because America keeps changing the terms.
"The conditions are constantly changing. I thought that we have agreed that there will be a framework deal, and then the full deal. Now, as I understand, the Ukrainian and American teams are working on it, because the U.S. is changing these conditions and wants us to sign the full deal right away."
European leaders agreed Russia’s demand that sanctions be removed from a key export bank in order for a Black Sea ceasefire to commence should not be met - despite the US indicating it would ‘look at’ the request.
Olaf Scholz is the German Chancellor.
"It makes no sense at all to end the sanctions as long as peace hasn’t actually been reached, and we are unfortunately a distance away from that."
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer believes Moscow’s slow-walking of negotiations, the constant addition of new demands, is deliberate to prevent progress.
"It’s clear the Russians are filibustering. They are playing games and they’re playing for time. It’s a classic from the Putin playbook."
Yet it is being dragged out, and Europe alone is unlikely to be able to push Vladimir Putin towards peace.
