French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, at a joint press conference with British counterpart David Lammy, stated that the «coalition of the willing» supporting Ukraine is actively developing options for monitoring a possible ceasefire.

He also emphasized that Russia must respond to the U.S. proposal, regardless of its content.

Barrot stressed that «Russia must respond urgently – whether it’s “yes” or “no”».

However, he expressed doubts about the Kremlin's willingness to engage in peace talks. According to him, President Putin's actions indicate the opposite: attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure and the announcement of the largest draft in 14 years, summoning 160,000 soldiers, suggest a reluctance to negotiate.

The French Foreign Minister noted that Ukraine made a significant move by agreeing to the U.S. proposal for an unconditional ceasefire, while Russia continues to ignore this initiative, striking critical infrastructure and committing war crimes.
 

Barrot emphasized that such behavior contradicts all agreements.

On Friday, military representatives from the member countries of the «coalition of the willing» are set to arrive in Kyiv to discuss security guarantees for Ukraine. He noted that «a strong Ukrainian army is the first level of ensuring peace».

He also added that France and Britain are in constant coordination with the U.S. regarding possible scenarios for monitoring the ceasefire.

It is worth noting that Finnish President Alexander Stubb reported that the "Coalition of the Willing" made a decision that at least one European leader should engage in dialogue with Russia.

We also previously reported on the outcomes of the latest summit of the «coalition of the willing» as communicated by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.