French President Emmanuel Macron stated that a potential peace in Ukraine “does not mean surrender for Ukraine.” Macron held a joint press conference with US President Donald Trump at the White House. Macron thanked Trump for attending the opening of the Notre Dame Cathedral restoration in Paris in December, which was completed about 5 years after the fire. Macron emphasized that geopolitical issues were a priority for the US during this visit. Macron highlighted that Ukraine’s resistance against Russia has been appreciated by everyone and stated that no one wants to live in a world where the law of the strongest prevails. Macron also noted that they shared Trump’s desire to build peace for Ukraine and claimed that they made significant progress on this matter during their discussions. Macron also expressed his satisfaction for Trump’s upcoming meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Macron stressed that peace in Ukraine is a “necessity to save lives” and emphasized that peace does not mean surrender for Ukraine and cannot be achieved without ceasefire (security) guarantees. Macron conveyed a message that they are ready to do more for Europe’s security and defense, stating, “I carry a clear message about Europe being part of the security guarantees for Ukraine.”