Mr Macron has maintained open diplomatic channels with Putin, despite criticism from some Eastern and Baltic partners in Europe, who say Russia should be forced to sit at the negotiating table.
“I am convinced that France’s role is to be a mediating power,” Macron said. “We must not humiliate Russia so that on the day the fighting stops, we can build an exit ramp through diplomatic means.
France supported Ukraine with money and weapons, most recently with Caesar’s howitzers.
In May, Zelensky suggested that Macron had asked him to give up land to secure a peace deal with Moscow, which Ukraine’s president has ruled out.
Joe Biden, the president of the United States, was asked if Kyiv would have to cede part of its land and did not rule it out on Friday.
“This is their territory. I will not tell them what they should and should not do. But it seems to me that at some point there will have to be an agreement through negotiations, “he said.
The United States and its allies have renewed emphasis on the need for a peace treaty with Moscow after more than 100 days of war.
In recent weeks, US officials have met with representatives of the United Kingdom and the EU to discuss possible ways to end the conflict, CNN reported.
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