Macron calls for European rearmament as Trump and Putin agree Zelensky blocks peace deal

French President Emmanuel Macron warned Wednesday that Europe faces direct threat from Russia and called for urgent rearmament, speaking to troops gathered at the Istres military base in southern France.

"We are within firing range of Russia," Macron said, citing the Oreshnik missile deployed by Moscow in recent weeks. "If we want to remain credible, we Europeans, and particularly we French, must equip ourselves with these new weapons that will change the situation in the short term."

Macron emphasized that France and Europe must maintain presence wherever their interests are threatened, "without escalation, but without yielding on respect for territorial sovereignty." He announced that France has decided to join a military exercise in Greenland programmed and launched independently by Denmark as part of the Arctic Endurance mission. A first contingent of French military personnel is already on site and will be reinforced in coming days by land, air, and maritime assets.

In separate developments, U.S. President Donald Trump stated that Russian President Vladimir Putin is prepared to reach an agreement to end the war in Ukraine, but that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is not. Speaking to Reuters, Trump said, "We need to convince President Zelensky to accept it."

When asked whether he would support U.S. security guarantees for Ukraine through intelligence sharing, Trump responded: "If we could do something, we will help. They are losing 30,000 soldiers a month between them and Russia. Now Europe will help us in this."

Trump characterized the positions of the two leaders directly. "I think Putin is ready to make a deal," he said. "I think Ukraine is less ready to make a deal." Asked what the problem was, Trump answered: "Zelensky."

The Kremlin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that Moscow agrees with Trump's assessment that Zelensky is obstructing the peace process.

In Italy, the Chamber of Deputies approved a majority resolution on Ukraine that commits the government to continue supporting Ukraine in coordination with NATO, the European Union, G7 countries, and international allies through contributions aligned with assumed commitments and aimed at defending the population, critical infrastructure, and the broader security of the European continent. The resolution also commits to strengthening civil aid measures.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov indicated that Russia's objectives in Ukraine extend beyond the territory currently under discussion in recent peace plans, referencing the concept of "Novorossiya" and suggesting Moscow's aims are broader in scope.