Zelensky invites Putin to meet to end the war, Macron: Now is the time

French President Emmanuel Macron. (Wikimedia Commons/Влада на Република Северна Македонија)

JAKARTA - French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday welcomed a call from Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky for direct talks with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, saying it was time to resume dialogue with Moscow.

"I believe that now it is up to Ukraine and Russia to establish a ceasefire and a plan for peace. Europe can help in this regard," President Macron said at a summit of EU and Balkan leaders in Montenegro, launching Al Arabiya from AFP (5/6).

President Zelenskyy proposed a face-to-face meeting with Vladimir Putin in a rare open letter to the Russian leader on Thursday.

President Macron called the letter a "good initiative." The European Union and Germany also welcomed Zelensky's call for direct negotiations with the Kremlin chief.

Macron said he wanted to "look to the future and discuss how we can rebuild dialogue to build a ceasefire and peace."

"I think now is the time, given how the situation is evolving," Macron said.

The debate in Europe is heating up over attempts to return to dialogue with Russia regarding Ukraine, after negotiations mediated by the United States to stop the fighting stalled.

"We also very much want to organize discussions and exchanges with Russia on matters of mutual interest," Macron said.

"That is, our own security, how we live as neighbors, and of course, to defend the interests of Ukraine," he said.

Macron revealed that he would meet Zelensky in the coming days and had also invited Western countries involved in the "voluntary coalition" to support the ceasefire agreement to Paris for a national holiday on July 14.

As previously reported, President Zelensky said that Switzerland and Arab countries could host a direct meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war, while the United States was busy with the conflict in Iran.

In an open letter to President Putin posted on social media X on Thursday, President Zelensky said the US was too distracted by its war against Iran to focus on helping end the war in Ukraine, which has now entered its fifth year.

"We see the United States fully focused on the Iranian issue, and it would be wrong to wait only until the war in Europe returns to the center of attention," he wrote, launching The National.

"There are countries that traditionally host meetings of leaders to resolve issues of war and peace. Switzerland, Turkey, Arab countries, many of which are capable and willing to host such meetings," continued President Zelensky.