Macron: Ukraine Aware It Can’t Fully Reclaim Lost Territory

French President Emmanuel Macron says Ukraine understands it cannot fully reclaim all the territory currently occupied by Russia and warned that Western powers must avoid escalating the conflict into a global war.

“We must help Ukraine defend itself, but we do not want to trigger World War III,” Macron said in an interview with French broadcaster TF1. “The war must end, and Ukraine must be in the strongest position possible to negotiate. Every clear-eyed Ukrainian knows there is no military path to retaking all the territory lost since 2014.”

Russia annexed Crimea in 2014 and later claimed four additional Ukrainian regions—Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia—in late 2022, although it does not have full control over those areas. Moscow currently occupies roughly one-fifth of Ukraine’s territory. The West and Kyiv do not recognize the annexations, and Ukrainian leaders have long pledged to reclaim lost land—though more recently, they’ve acknowledged that a full military recovery is unlikely.

During the interview, Macron also said France is prepared to back new sanctions against Russia if Moscow refuses to comply with a proposed ceasefire. The new measures would target Russia’s financial sector and oil industry.

The ceasefire plan, pushed by Ukraine and four European countries, calls for a 30-day unconditional truce across land, air, and sea. So far, Russia has not agreed to the proposal. Macron emphasized that the goal is to stop the fighting and open negotiations on territorial issues and security guarantees.

France has played a leading role in recent months in shaping a coordinated European response to the war. Macron has leveraged his personal relationship with U.S. President Donald Trump to advance negotiations aimed at ending the conflict, now entering its fourth year.

Since the war began in early 2022, the European Union has imposed 16 rounds of sanctions on Russia. A 17th sanctions package is expected to go to a vote on May 20.

(Sources: AFP, Kyiv Independent)

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