France 'awaiting Moscow's engagement' for ceasefire in Ukraine

The French president says that France and Ukraine are "awaiting Moscow's engagement" with a Black Sea ceasefire in Ukraine.

Russia has agreed to a maritime ceasefire but wants sanctions to be eased before it fully complies with the conditions.

"Russia must not dictate what happens inside Ukraine. Ukraine is a sovereign state," said Emmanuel Macron before welcoming other European leaders for a wider Ukraine peace and security summit in the French capital.

"Russia's aggression is a source of instability for the world," Macron added.

The French president announced $2.1 billion in further military support from France for Ukraine, including tanks, missiles and drones.

He said Ukraine's allies must continue to support the country because the conflict is not yet over and western allies must put Ukraine in the strongest position possible.

Macron was speaking at a news conference in Paris where he was hosting Volodymyr Zelenskyy for bilateral talks before the leaders' summit. 

'Backed up by force'

The Ukrainian president hailed the "unfailing support" for his country from France. 

Zelenskyy said "diplomacy must be backed up by force". He argued that Russia is "always playing for time" in setting more and more conditions before it can sign up to any ceasefire.

On Tuesday, U.S. president Donald Trump said "it could be that they're dragging their feet" in response to a question if Russia was delaying the process for implementing a truce in the sea.

Zelenskyy's trip comes after Ukraine and Russia agreed to a ceasefire in the Black Sea, while the search for a more lasting agreement along the frontline continues.

The third summit of what France and Britain have called the 'coalition of the willing' brings together the likes of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz.

Its slogan is 'Building a solid peace for Ukraine and Europe.'

The Elysee Palace says the aim of the summit is to discuss an immediate strengthening of assistance to Ukraine; how a ceasefire can be implemented and extended; the modalities of long-term support for Ukraine and its armed forces; and necessary security guarantees for Ukraine.

One of the key goals of the summit will be discussions around a Franco-British plan for a reassurance force of thousands of foreign troops to be deployed in Ukraine after a peace agreement.

At his news conference on Wednesday, the French president said the aim of the troop deployment would be to "maintain the peace" and "dissuade further Russian aggression".

If Russia attacked Ukraine's allies inside Ukraine, then that force would be capable of "reacting and responding", Macron added.

Direct clash

Highlighting different views among Ukraine's partners, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani reiterated his country's opposition to any such force.

"Not sending troops on a mission unless they are part of the United Nations, (this) is the only condition for us to deploy military personnel" in Ukraine, Tajani said after a cabinet meeting on Wednesday evening.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accused France and Britain of hatching plans for "military intervention in Ukraine" under the guise of a peacekeeping mission, adding such an intervention could lead to a direct military clash between Russia and NATO.