Macron Affirms Ukraine's Leadership in Peace Talks; Zelensky Warns of Survival Without US Aid

French President Emmanuel Macron assured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday, February 14, 2024, that France will support Ukraine in leading discussions toward a lasting peace with Russia. Macron also expressed optimism about potential U.S. influence in halting Russian aggression, following a phone call between Trump and Putin. During the Munich Security Conference on February 14, 2024, Zelensky met with U.S. Vice President JD Vance to discuss security guarantees from Washington before negotiations with Moscow. Vance assured that the U.S. would take Ukraine's sovereignty seriously in talks with Russia. In an interview on February 15, 2024, Zelensky warned that Ukraine's survival is unlikely without continued U.S. aid, especially in the event of another major Russian offensive. He stated that Kyiv would find it "very, very difficult" to withstand a full-scale Russian offensive without U.S. military support.