Ukrainian President Meets French Leader Amid Ceasefire Talks

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy of Ukraine visited French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysée Palace in Paris on Monday. This meeting is part of ongoing diplomatic efforts to negotiate a ceasefire in the long-running conflict in Ukraine.

Zelensky’s Paris visit follows discussions between Ukrainian and US officials in Florida on Sunday, which Secretary of State Marco Rubio described as productive. Both nations are working to revise the plan initially drafted by the United States, a framework that has faced criticism for leaning too heavily in favor of Russia’s requests.

These criticisms, particularly strong from Ukraine’s European allies, indicate a reluctance to endorse aspects of the US peace initiative. While welcoming the US’s efforts, they have pushed back against some key elements of the plan. Ahead of the Paris meeting, Macron’s office stated that the agenda included talks on achieving a “just and lasting peace.”

US President Donald Trump has since referred to the 28-point plan—which restricts Ukraine’s military size, prohibits NATO membership, and requires territorial concessions—as a “concept” needing further adjustment.

Last week, Macron, a major supporter of Ukraine, urged Western allies to offer Ukraine “rock-solid” assurances in the event of a ceasefire or peace resolution. He advocated for the deployment of “security forces” across land, sea, and air to bolster national security.

Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed that President Vladimir Putin would meet with US presidential envoy Steve Witkov on Tuesday afternoon. Witkov’s involvement has gained attention, especially after reports suggesting he guided Putin’s advisers on how to propose a peace plan to Trump. Both Moscow and Washington have minimized the implications of this revelation.

Peskov condemned Ukraine’s recent strikes on Russian oil facilities, particularly over the weekend, targeting both an oil terminal linked to the Caspian Pipeline Consortium and two tankers in Turkish waters. Following an attack by an unmanned boat on Saturday, a significant oil terminal near Novorossiysk halted operations. This attack coincided with a Ukrainian navy drone operation that targeted tankers reportedly part of Russia’s efforts to bypass sanctions.

Ukraine confirmed it was responsible for the attack on Saturday.

Peskov labeled these actions as “outrageous.” He expressed concern over ongoing assaults by Ukrainian drones on critical infrastructure, including the terminal issue that he remarked had implications for international facilities.

In contrast, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported having shot down 32 Ukrainian drones overnight, specifying that these were neutralized across 11 regions in Russia and over the Azov Sea.

In related news, local officials reported that an apartment building in the city of Kaspyysk, located in Russia’s Dagestan region, had sustained damage from a Ukrainian assault. This city is notably distanced from the main conflict zones.

A missile strike by Russia on Monday resulted in four casualties and injured 40, with 11 individuals in critical condition in Dnipropetrovsk. Local authorities noted that the airstrike impacted the city center, damaging residential buildings, an educational institution, and a humanitarian warehouse, while rescue efforts were ongoing.

Prior to the attack in Dnipro, Russia launched 89 drones, of which 63 were reportedly intercepted by the Ukrainian Air Force.

In total, throughout November, Russia has fired a staggering 100 missiles and deployed nearly 9,600 reconnaissance and attack drones into Ukrainian territory, according to the latest monthly report from the Air Force.