Macron: Ukraine Must Acknowledge It Won’t Get Territories Back

By Staff, Agencies.

French President Emmanuel Macron has acknowledged a shift in Western rhetoric on the Ukraine conflict, stating that Ukrainians themselves understand they lack the means to recover all the territory under Russia's control since 2014.

In an interview with TF1 on Tuesday, Macron emphasized the need for a negotiated end to the war, saying, “The war must end, and Ukraine must be in the best possible position to enter into negotiations … Even Ukrainians themselves have the lucidity to acknowledge … that they will not have the capacity to reclaim everything that has been taken since 2014.”

Macron reiterated France’s support for Ukraine but admitted it would not be joining NATO.

Instead, he proposed a new framework of “reassurance forces,” where willing allies would deploy troops far from the front lines to signal long-term Western solidarity.

The comments come amid growing signals in the West that a total Ukrainian military victory, including retaking Crimea, is increasingly viewed as unrealistic.

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky admitted in April that Ukraine lacked the weapons to reclaim Crimea by force.

This aligns with recent remarks by US President Donald Trump, who told Time magazine last month that “Crimea will stay with Russia,” suggesting even Zelensky understands this outcome. Trump’s reported peace plan envisions freezing the conflict along current front lines and accepting Russian control over Crimea.

France and the UK have floated the idea of sending peacekeepers to Ukraine after a ceasefire, though details remain vague. Russia has warned it would treat any unauthorized foreign troops, particularly from NATO countries, as enemy combatants.

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