US Secretary of State Marco Rubio began talks in Paris on Thursday aimed at reviving stalled negotiations for a ceasefire in Ukraine and addressing growing tensions between the US and Europe.
On his first official visit to France, Rubio met with French President Emmanuel Macron and Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot. He was accompanied by Steve Witkoff, US President Donald Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine and the Middle East.
“This visit will serve to assess the status of peace talks aimed at ending Russia’s aggression against Ukraine,” the French presidency, or Elysee, said in a statement.
The discussions follow recent contacts between Macron and Trump and are part of efforts by a “coalition of willing countries,” the statement added.
High-level Ukrainian officials and ministers also arrived in Paris for separate meetings with US officials and representatives from France, Germany, and the UK.
“As part of the visit, a series of bilateral and multilateral meetings are planned with representatives of coalition states willing and able to ensure security, particularly from France, Germany, and the United Kingdom,” Andriy Yermak, head of the Ukrainian President’s Office, wrote on Telegram.
The Paris meetings will also address other pressing issues, including discussions on tariffs and de-escalation efforts in the Middle East, according to the Elysee.
Meanwhile, French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu is in Washington for talks with US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.