Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Paris on Friday, his spokesman said, for talks with President Emmanuel Macron on ways to increase pressure on Russia.
"The president is already in Paris," Zelensky's spokesman Sergiy Nykyforov told reporters, including AFP journalists. The visit comes as talks brokered by the United States to end the four-year invasion have been derailed by the US-Israeli war with Iran.
The talks between Macron and Zelensky will focus on increasing sanctions pressure on Russia by targeting its "shadow fleet" of tankers used to transport oil in breach of sanctions imposed over the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the French presidency said.
Zelensky and Macron are also expected to discuss diplomatic efforts to halt the war in Ukraine, Macron's office said.
The Kremlin said the planned meeting would obstruct the peace process and that the "very idea of trying to put pressure on Russia is absurd".
US President Donald Trump said Monday that he would waive "certain oil-related sanctions". He did not explicitly mention Russia though the comment followed a call with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Watch moreTrump says will waive some oil sanctions after talks with Putin
The United States has proposed new trilateral peace talks with Russia and Ukraine next week. The talks could be held in Switzerland or Turkey, according to Zelensky.
The Ukrainian president arrived in Romania on Thursday ahead of the Paris meeting, and is also expected to visit Spain on his European tour.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
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