French President Emmanuel Macron has publicly stated that Ukraine may have to recognise the loss of some of its territories as part of a future peace settlement with Russia, marking a significant shift in rhetoric among Western leaders regarding the war's potential resolution.

Speaking in a video address released by the Elysee Palace, Macron clarified that such recognition would not mean Ukraine accepts another state's sovereignty over the disputed regions, but would acknowledge these areas as lost due to military actions and the reality on the ground.

He emphasised that this recognition does not contradict international law, although he acknowledged it would represent a major and painful concession for Ukraine.

Macron’s remarks come after three and a half years of intense conflict, during which Ukraine has suffered significant human and territorial losses.

He stressed that, for Ukraine to make any territorial concessions—or for any country to accept actual territorial losses—there must be robust guarantees that the remainder of Ukraine’s territory will be protected.

This point was underscored in the discussions held by the Coalition of the Willing, a group of Western and allied nations convening to discuss long-term security guarantees for Kyiv. The coalition’s focus is to design a Ukrainian military structure capable of ensuring a fair and enduring peace.

In pursuit of post-war stability, Macron revealed that several Western governments are prepared to send thousands of troops to Ukraine not for combat roles, but to aid in training, sustaining logistics, and maintaining a presence in non-combat zones.

Such deployments are aimed at stabilising Ukraine after the war, reassuring the government and its people, and deterring further aggression. These options, however, are still subject to discussion, particularly with the United States, whose role and level of participation are yet to be clarified with US President Donald Trump.

On August 18, a landmark meeting in Washington is set to bring together Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

The agenda includes deliberation on security guarantees, logistics of western troop deployments, and the format of Ukraine’s military for post-conflict realities.

Macron has cautioned that any peace settlement must be accompanied by "strong and credible" security guarantees for Ukraine, and that the future of Ukraine cannot be determined without the consent and involvement of the Ukrainian people and government.

His comments also reflect acknowledgment of previous proposals, like Vladimir Putin’s demands for Ukraine to withdraw from Donetsk and Luhansk and offers to freeze frontlines elsewhere, which have been rejected by Ukrainian leadership and met with scepticism by European partners.

The ongoing diplomatic efforts aim to ensure that Ukraine’s borders are not altered by force and to coordinate further strategies that will secure a just and lasting peace for Ukraine while preparing for its reconstruction and integration with the European Union.

Based On ANI Report