The United Kingdom has distanced itself from French President Emmanuel Macron's proposal for a limited one-month ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, as Kyiv expressed reservations about halting hostilities without clear security guarantees. The divergence of opinions emerged following an extraordinary summit held in London, where major European powers sought to demonstrate unity and devise a common strategy after tense discussions between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
After the summit on Sunday, Macron posited the idea of introducing a ceasefire limited to one month, applicable to air, naval, and energy infrastructure, arguing it could serve to test Russia's intentions. Known for his political initiatives aimed at nudging allies toward consensus, Macron's proposal did not garner support from the UK. British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer clarified his administration's stance, noting the proposed ceasefire was not part of Britain's strategy.
A British official stated, “There are multiple options being discussed, which require additional consultations with American and European partners, but no agreement has been reached on a one-month ceasefire.” Macron's presentation of the proposal during the summit lacked concrete details, and it did not receive explicit backing from other European leaders, even though no one opposed it directly.
Concerns about potential Russian regrouping were echoed by UK's Minister of Defence, Luke Pollard, who warned on Monday any pause in the fighting could offer Russia the necessary time to reorganize and resume offensive operations. “The main concern for Ukrainians is the belief any armistice, even temporary, would allow Russians to rearm, reorganize, and renew their attack,” Pollard said during an interview with Sky News.
Ukrainian President Zelensky rejected the notion of an immediate ceasefire without clear security guarantees, asserting such measures, lacking a well-defined framework, would represent “a failure for everyone.” Notably, he refrained from directly commenting on Macron’s proposal.
During an interview with Le Figaro, Macron argued for the feasibility of monitoring air and naval ceasefires more easily compared to land-based ones, considering the complexity of the battlefield. He explained, “The current front line stretches approximately the distance from Paris to Budapest, and monitoring compliance with any ceasefire over such length would be extremely difficult.”
Both Macron and Starmer underscored the importance of Europe taking the lead role in any agreement, yet they acknowledged the continued necessity of U.S. support. The proposed European plan would also involve the deployment of European troops to oversee any potential ceasefire.
Starmer stressed the importance of maintaining American support, indicating it remains pivotal even as Europe seeks to advance its role. Further, the European initiative could potentially include agreements between Zelensky and the U.S., under which some profits from exploiting Ukraine's mineral reserves would be shared.