"France is aiming for an effective start of negotiations between Ukraine and the EU by the end of the month. In the coming days, the coalition that met Ukraine's request to send military trainers will be finalized. Peace in Ukraine cannot be achieved by the capitulation of the invaded country."
This was stated by French President Emmanuel Macron at a press conference with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky at the Elysee Palace, AFP reports.
During the press conference, Macron reaffirmed Paris' support for Ukraine's accession to the EU and NATO.
"France continues to support Ukraine in all areas, including at the European level, aiming for an effective start of membership negotiations by the end of the month. France also wants an irreversible path to NATO membership for Ukraine," the French president said.
He also said he wanted to "finalize" the creation of a coalition of military trainers for Ukraine in the coming days.
"We will use the coming days to finalize the largest possible coalition to fulfill Ukraine's request to send military trainers," the French head of state said.
"We want to have a coalition and several of our partners have already agreed... We are not alone," he added.
Zelensky said he was "grateful for this initiative".
Last week, the Kremlin said the French trainers eventually to be sent to Ukraine would become a "legitimate target" for Russian forces.
"Who will we be if we succumb to Russia's threats?" retorted Macron.
He lashed out at what he called the "pacifist camp" and the "spirit of defeat" in Ukraine's fight against the Russian invasion, vowing that Ukrainian resistance would not end in surrender.
"We know this camp of pacifists. This is the camp of the surrenderists. This is the camp of the spirit of defeat. We are not like that," Macron said.
He added that peace in the conflict cannot come through "the capitulation of the country that has been attacked."
"We are for peace in accordance with international law, but which recognises the legitimate right of a people to resist when attacked," Macron said.
With a peace summit coming up in Switzerland later this month, Zelensky said peace must be durable.
"It is very important to have a just and lasting peace. Not in one hour, not in one month, not in one year. Preferably it should be forever," the Ukrainian president said. | BGNES
