French President Emmanuel Macron says he doesn't believe Putin is 'very willing to get peace' in Ukraine

There must be a push for peace to end the war between Russia and Ukraine, but French President Emmanuel Macron is skeptical that Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to resolve the conflict.

There must be a push for peace to end the war between Russia and Ukraine, but French President Emmanuel Macron is skeptical that Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to resolve the conflict.

“When I look at the situation and the facts, I don’t see President Putin very willing to get peace now,” Macron told NBC News’ “Meet the Press” moderator Kristen Welker in an exclusive interview Monday after a high-stakes White House meeting. “But perhaps I’m too pessimistic.”

He also said “the optimism of your president is to be taken seriously. So if he considers he can get a deal done, this is great news, and we have to do whatever we can to have a great deal.”

Macron insisted that the United States must apply pressure to Russia and Putin to find a resolution, including introducing more sanctions.

If there is no progress in the bilateral meeting President Donald Trump announced between Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and if a trilateral meeting falls through, “or if the Russians don’t comply with this approach, yes, we have to increase the sanctions, secondary and primary sanctions,” Macron said.