Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, and, since launching its full-scale offensive in 2022, now controls large swaths of territory in eastern Ukraine.
The French president’s comments come as Europe prepares for U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, who is pushing for a quick end to the war in Ukraine, to take office on Jan. 20.
Macron also said the United States should help bring Russia to the negotiation table, and that Europeans should provide Ukraine with security guarantees as their responsibility.
However, the French president also warned against hoping for a swift resolution of the conflict.
“There won’t be a quick solution,” he said. “No quick solution that implies the capitulation of Ukraine will be good for Europeans or for the United States.”