War in Ukraine
News

PM says France is the top EU target for foreign disinformation campaigns

Citing an EU diplomatic report, French Prime Minister François Bayrou said that, after Ukraine, France was the leading European target for foreign disinformation, with 152 incidents reported between 2023 and 2024.

Published today at 11:53 am (Paris), updated at 12:05 pm Le Monde with AFP

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Paris summit yields no clarity on potential deployment of European troops in Ukraine

Speaking at a meeting of the 'coalition of the willing' in Paris on Thursday, French President Emmanuel Macron acknowledged that the plan to send soldiers to Ukraine was 'not unanimously supported.' Especially as a ceasefire remains elusive.

Published today at 11:25 am (Paris) Philippe Ricard Elise Vincent

News

France and Britain offer to send 'reassurance force' to Ukraine once peace deal is reached

The French president, who was speaking after a summit of European leaders in Paris on Thursday, added that a French-British delegation would head to Ukraine in the coming days to discuss the offer.

Published yesterday at 3:08 pm (Paris), updated yesterday at 9:05 pm Le Monde with AFP

News

Macron pledges €2 billion in military aid to Ukraine

A 'coalition of the willing' bringing together some 30 European countries in Paris on Thursday is due to discuss the possibility of sending troops to Ukraine to guarantee a ceasefire.

Published yesterday at 11:46 am (Paris) Philippe Ricard

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Italy's pacifist ideals go against Europe's desire to rearm

'Europeans, war and peace (2/7).' Italy's historical links to both Catholicism and Communism mean the vast majority of Italians are opposed to rearmament in their country and Europe in general.

Published yesterday at 4:00 am (Paris) Allan Kaval

News

Macron, Zelensky accuse Russia of wanting war to drag on, ahead of Ukraine security summit in Paris

Speaking alongside Volodymyr Zelensky in Paris on Wednesday, the French president said Russia must accept the 30-day ceasefire without 'preconditions,' ahead of the summit of the 'coalition of the willing' countries on Thursday.

Published on March 26, 2025, at 9:24 pm (Paris), updated yesterday at 7:44 am Le Monde with AFP

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War in Ukraine: The conditional Black Sea agreement between the US and Russia

After two days of talks in Saudi Arabia under the US' auspices, Ukraine and Russia agreed to a maritime ceasefire, which the Kremlin immediately made conditional on certain Western sanctions being lifted.

Published on March 26, 2025, at 12:59 pm (Paris), updated on March 26, 2025, at 1:02 pm Benjamin Quénelle Philippe Ricard

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France and the UK test their renewed relationship on Ukraine and European defense

Emmanuel Macron and Keir Starmer are gathering a 'coalition of the willing,' at the Elysée on Thursday, around 30 allied countries ready to help Kyiv.

Published on March 26, 2025, at 11:21 am (Paris), updated on March 26, 2025, at 12:15 pm Philippe Ricard Cécile Ducourtieux

Investigation Subscribers only

The new regular in French conservative media? Xenia Fedorova, former head of RT France

Three years after the Kremlin-funded channel was shut down, its director has resurfaced in the media empire owned by French billionaire Vincent Bolloré, where she represents Moscow's views.

Published on March 26, 2025, at 5:00 am (Paris) Isabelle Mandraud

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In Kyiv, military analysts fear a ceasefire could give Russia an advantage

Ukrainian experts do not see Vladimir Putin back away from his war goals, but taking advantage of a possible halt to rebuild Russian forces.

Published on March 26, 2025, at 2:46 am (Paris), updated on March 26, 2025, at 10:17 am Rémy Ourdan

News

Russian threat in Europe 'not theoretical,' says French foreign minister

France's foreign minister Jean-Noël Barrot responded to a US official who had brushed aside worries that Moscow would seek to push further into Europe.

Published on March 25, 2025, at 5:41 pm (Paris), updated on March 25, 2025, at 5:49 pm Le Monde with AFP

News

Russia and Ukraine agree to stop military action in Black Sea

The agreement marks the first step towards peace in talks brokered by the US in Saudi Arabia.

Published on March 25, 2025, at 5:31 pm (Paris), updated on March 25, 2025, at 7:02 pm Le Monde with AFP

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Former French PM Attal hosts European political allies, hoping to build stature

Gabriel Attal held a 'democracy and liberties summit' in Paris on Monday with some 30 members of the European Parliament and representatives from Hungary and Slovakia.

Published on March 25, 2025, at 2:25 pm (Paris) Claire Gatinois

News

US, Russia talks on Ukraine ceasefire end after 12 hours

While the talks took place at a luxury hotel in Saudi Arabia, nearly 90 people, including 17 children, were wounded in a missile attack on Sumy, in northeastern Ukraine.

Published on March 24, 2025, at 10:42 pm (Paris), updated on March 25, 2025, at 7:41 am Le Monde with AFP

News

US and Russia begin ceasefire talks on Ukraine conflict

US negotiators met with their Russian counterparts in Riyadh to hammer out details of a possible partial ceasefire in the Ukraine war. Russia fired a barrage of drones into Ukraine on Sunday night.

Published on March 24, 2025, at 12:21 pm (Paris), updated on March 24, 2025, at 5:57 pm Le Monde with AFP

News

US and Ukraine hold 'productive' talks in Saudi Arabia ahead of ceasefire negotiations

US and Ukrainian officials concluded 'productive and focused' talks in Saudi Arabia on Sunday over efforts to de-escalate the war with Russia, as Moscow prepared for its own separate discussions with American negotiators.

Published on March 24, 2025, at 2:43 am (Paris), updated on March 24, 2025, at 8:38 am Le Monde with AFP

News

US-Ukraine truce talks are due to start on Sunday, while Kremlin downplays expectations

US officials in Saudi Arabia are set to hold two rounds of talks, first with Ukraine, on Sunday, and then with Russia. While the US envoy has been optimistic, the Kremlin's Dmitry Peskov warned of 'difficult negotiations.'

Published on March 23, 2025, at 4:11 pm (Paris) Le Monde with AFP

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'This terrifying face is the true face of war': A new lease on life for Ukraine's 'broken faces'

Soldiers and civilians left disfigured, and then stigmatized, by the ravages of war, are being treated, free of charge, by the Unburned program, run by 33 clinics across the country.

Published on March 22, 2025, at 11:00 pm (Paris) Faustine Vincent

News

Macron announces new Ukraine 'coalition' summit in Paris on March 27

The French President, together with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, has been leading efforts to form a coalition in support of Ukraine since US President Donald Trump opened direct negotiations with Russia last month.

Published on March 21, 2025, at 5:26 pm (Paris), updated on March 21, 2025, at 5:29 pm Le Monde with AFP

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War in Ukraine: Ceasefire outlines remain uncertain after 'very good' Trump-Zelensky call

In a call on Wednesday, the two men agreed on a restricted version of a truce with Russia, but without removing all ambiguities. Having given up on his plans for Ukrainian minerals, Trump is now offering to take ownership of the country's power plants.

Published on March 20, 2025, at 9:30 am (Paris), updated on March 20, 2025, at 9:46 am Piotr Smolar Thomas d’Istria

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On defense and Ukraine, European nations still have no consensus

The leaders of the EU's 27 member states, meeting in Brussels on Thursday, are seeking to reach a compromise despite their differences in resources, ideological orientation and geographical location.

Published on March 20, 2025, at 5:00 am (Paris) Virginie Malingre

News

Trump says Ukraine truce bid 'on track' after Zelensky call, suggests US ownership of power plant

The call was believed to be the first since Trump and Zelensky's televised Oval Office row that led to a brief halt in US aid for Ukraine. Zelensky later announced an upcoming visit to France.

Published on March 19, 2025, at 5:56 pm (Paris), updated on March 20, 2025, at 7:25 am Le Monde with AFP

News

Russia and Ukraine swap hundreds of prisoners in one of the war's largest exchanges

All those who returned will receive immediate medical and psychological assistance, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a statement on X. He expressed gratitude to the Ukrainian team working on prisoner swaps and to international partners, particularly the United Arab Emirates, for facilitating the exchange.

Published on March 19, 2025, at 5:39 pm (Paris), updated on March 19, 2025, at 5:42 pm Le Monde with AP

Interview Subscribers only

War in Ukraine: At the Zaporizhzhia power plant, 'the risk of nuclear disaster persists'

Dmytro Orlov, the exiled mayor of Enerhodar, gives an update on the safety of the occupied nuclear power plant in Zaporizhia, Europe's largest, in an interview with Le Monde. The fate of the plant was to be discussed between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.

Published on March 19, 2025, at 3:00 pm (Paris), updated on March 19, 2025, at 9:09 pm Faustine Vincent

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Trump's call with Putin on Ukraine, a highly anticipated discussion with limited results

The ceasefire discussed by the two presidents on Tuesday is limited to energy infrastructure, which is less crucial as winter draws to a close. It is a far cry from the cessation of hostilities sought by the American.

Published on March 19, 2025, at 10:27 am (Paris), updated on March 19, 2025, at 11:40 am Benjamin Quénelle Piotr Smolar

News

Zelensky reports Russian strikes target civilian sites after Putin-Trump call

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of effectively rejecting a US-backed ceasefire proposal, following a barrage of attacks on civilian infrastructure just hours after Moscow agreed to pause strikes on Ukraine’s energy grid.

Published on March 19, 2025, at 12:54 am (Paris), updated on March 19, 2025, at 9:38 am Le Monde with AFP

News

Ukraine: Putin and Trump agree to end 'energy and infrastructure' attacks

According to the White House, US and Russian Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin held a phone call for over two hours, speaking about US proposals on a ceasefire plan for the war in Ukraine.

Published on March 18, 2025, at 6:56 pm (Paris), updated on March 18, 2025, at 9:10 pm Le Monde with AFP

Investigation Subscribers only

War in Ukraine: In Russian-occupied territories, the trap is closing in on residents

The millions of people still living in these cut-off areas or who have fled see the hope of a return to the Ukrainian fold receding, as Donald Trump plans to discuss 'land' with Vladimir Putin on Tuesday.

Published on March 18, 2025, at 4:06 pm (Paris), updated on March 18, 2025, at 4:14 pm Faustine Vincent

News

Trump and Putin to hold 'very critical' phone call amid talks on Ukraine

US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are set to hold a high-stakes phone call Tuesday, with hopes of finalizing a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine.

Published on March 18, 2025, at 5:12 am (Paris), updated on March 18, 2025, at 8:23 am Le Monde with AFP

News

'Never been closer to a peace deal,' says White House ahead of Ukraine talks between Putin and Trump on Tuesday

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed the meeting to reporters on Monday, including AFP, but hasn't issued any further comments. Trump said the two would discuss 'land' and power plants, an apparent reference to the Moscow-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in south Ukraine.

Published on March 17, 2025, at 12:58 pm (Paris), updated on March 17, 2025, at 8:46 pm Le Monde with AFP

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European armies seek to urgently end dependence on US

The wake-up call has been especially brutal for the Europeans, as the war in Ukraine had significantly deepened their dependence on the entire American military system – from fighter jets and satellites to artillery, munitions and telecommunications.

Published on March 16, 2025, at 5:01 pm (Paris) Elise Vincent

Column Subscribers only

Our world as seen from Kyiv

It was in Saudi Arabia and in the absence of the Europeans that the fate of Ukraine was decided, writes historian Jean-Pierre Filiu in his column.

Published on March 16, 2025, at 12:11 pm (Paris) Jean-Pierre Filiu

30:49
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How Northern Europe is readying for war with Russia: A Le Monde documentary

'The Russian trap.' In the shadow of the war in Ukraine, an invisible frontline has been taking shape in Europe. From Estonia to Norway, Le Monde met with military officers to investigate this hybrid war, already a reality on Europe's northern borders.

Published on March 15, 2025, at 7:30 pm (Paris), updated on March 16, 2025, at 11:15 am Thomas Eydoux, Fanny Zarifi, Sinead McCausland, Marceau Bretonnier and Dorian Le Dastumer 30:49

News

Putin will have to 'come to table,' British PM Starmer says, hosting coalition call

Keir Starmer hosted a call with some 25 leaders of allied nations in the 'coalition of the willing' seeking to help enforce a potential truce between Russia and Ukraine.

Published on March 15, 2025, at 12:48 pm (Paris), updated on March 16, 2025, at 8:45 am Le Monde with AFP

News

Putin tells Ukraine troops in Russian region to 'surrender'

Russia has mounted a rapid counteroffensive in the western border region of Kursk over the past week, recapturing much of the territory Ukraine seized in a shock incursion last August.

Published on March 14, 2025, at 10:41 pm (Paris), updated on March 15, 2025, at 10:00 am Le Monde with AP and AFP

News

Trump hails 'good and productive' talks with Putin on Ukraine

'There is a very good chance that this horrible, bloody war can finally come to an end,' US President Donald Trump said, without further details.

Published on March 14, 2025, at 5:17 pm (Paris), updated on March 14, 2025, at 7:42 pm Le Monde with AFP

Editorial

Ukraine negotiations: Putin and the weapon of time

By imposing conditions that are unacceptable to Ukraine on the US ceasefire proposal, while at the same time asserting his desire for dialogue with Donald Trump, the Russian president is employing a tried and tested tactic: Buying time.

Published on March 14, 2025, at 11:21 am (Paris) Le Monde

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After Putin's 'yes, but' response to possible ceasefire, Trump shows signs of impatience

The Russian president set a list of conditions for the truce called for by the US, while the US special envoy for Ukraine, Steve Witkoff, visited Moscow. Volodymyr Zelensky, meanwhile, denounced the Kremlin leader's 'manipulative words.'

Published on March 14, 2025, at 10:58 am (Paris) Benjamin Quénelle Piotr Smolar

03:19
Video

Can France's nuclear deterrent protect Europe?

The idea of extending France's nuclear deterrent to its European allies is back on the agenda following Donald Trump's shift away from the continent. Emmanuel Macron said that he would open this debate.

Published on March 13, 2025, at 9:00 pm (Paris), updated on March 25, 2025, at 5:52 pm Emilie Duhamel Félix Pommier Diana Liu 03:19

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The Ukrainian soldiers trying to get well amid a relentless news cycle

The Lissova-Poliana mental health center in Kyiv treats soldiers suffering from post-traumatic stress before they are sent back to the front. But the international instability caused by the Trump administration's involvement in the war isn't helping their recovery.

Published on March 13, 2025, at 7:23 pm (Paris), updated on March 13, 2025, at 9:04 pm Faustine Vincent

In Depth Subscribers only

In Russia, US ceasefire offer is seen as a 'trap'

While American negotiators are on their way to Moscow, the Russian authorities say they are waiting for the details of the proposed ceasefire. But experts and television channels keep repeating that the Kremlin does not want a truce.

Published on March 13, 2025, at 2:00 pm (Paris) Benjamin Quénelle

Editorial

Russian assets: Negotiating leverage EU would be wrong to ignore

Europe must know how to make a show of strength when its vital interests are threatened. Seizing the €210 billion of frozen Central Bank of Russia assets would simply be the consequence of Moscow's many violations of international law.

Published on March 13, 2025, at 12:45 pm (Paris), updated on March 13, 2025, at 2:39 pm Le Monde

News

Putin not opposed to Ukraine ceasefire, but has 'serious questions'

Ukraine agreed to the plan during talks with US officials in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, as US President Donald Trump pushes for a speedy end to the more than three-year conflict.

Published on March 13, 2025, at 12:04 pm (Paris), updated on March 13, 2025, at 9:20 pm Le Monde with AFP

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Kyiv appears to be withdrawing from Russia's Kursk region under pressure from Washington

According to observers, Ukrainian forces are relinquishing their positions on this border region almost without a fight. Moscow is claiming victory and plans to create a buffer zone on the Ukrainian side.

Published on March 13, 2025, at 11:50 am (Paris), updated on March 13, 2025, at 1:38 pm Emmanuel Grynszpan

In Depth Subscribers only

European allies work on security guarantees for Ukraine

Excluded for the time being from the negotiations between Washington, Moscow and Kyiv on a ceasefire, European defense leaders met in Paris on Wednesday to try to influence the process from a distance.

Published on March 13, 2025, at 11:25 am (Paris) Elise Vincent

Column Subscribers only

'Trump is wrong to think a shared ceasefire would be a giant step toward ending the war between Moscow and Kyiv'

Negotiations on the future of Ukraine, if they take place, will be the real test of US strategic orientation, writes Le Monde columnist Alain Frachon.

Published on March 13, 2025, at 10:34 am (Paris) Alain Frachon

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Zelensky hopes Washington will take 'strong measures' if Russia refuses ceasefire

In the wake of the agreement signed in Jeddah with the United States, the Ukrainian president was careful to shift the blame for any potential failure of the American 30-day truce project onto Moscow.

Published on March 13, 2025, at 10:19 am (Paris) Rémy Ourdan

Op-Ed Subscribers only

'Europe's ills do not come from its military or diplomatic capabilities, but from its political divisions'

Marked by the failure of the European Defense Community in 1954, the European Union has no army because it lacks a common strategic vision transcending that of the member states, recalls researcher Christophe Degryse.

Published on March 13, 2025, at 4:21 am (Paris), updated on March 13, 2025, at 7:51 am Christophe Degryse

In Depth Subscribers only

French politicians caught off guard by global chaos Trump precipitated

In a world turned upside down by Donald Trump's return to the White House, French political leaders, fearing a faux pas before the 2027 presidential election, have been struggling to get to grips with international issues, though they are set to be major themes of the campaign.

Published on March 13, 2025, at 4:14 am (Paris) Claire Gatinois Gilles Paris Philippe Ricard

News

Putin urges army to 'liberate' Kursk as Ukraine seems to be pulling back

In his first visit to the region since Ukraine launched its shock counter-offensive in August, the Russian president hailed recent gains and urged his troops on. The Kremlin said it was awaiting details of a US-Ukrainian proposal agreed this week.

Published on March 12, 2025, at 10:18 pm (Paris), updated on March 13, 2025, at 9:58 am Le Monde with AP and AFP

News

'Very broad consensus' emerging among Europeans on Ukraine

The defense ministers of Europe's five main military powers – France, Britain, Germany, Italy and Poland – acknowledged on Wednesday the challenges posed by the new administration of Donald Trump in the US.

Published on March 12, 2025, at 9:35 pm (Paris), updated on March 13, 2025, at 10:08 am Le Monde with AFP

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Russia remains cautious after US ceasefire proposal

Russian President Vladimir Putin did not react to the truce proposal on Tuesday, while the foreign minister's comments were ambivalent.

Published on March 12, 2025, at 6:00 pm (Paris) Benjamin Quénelle

Column Subscribers only

'The fact that the debate on a European nuclear deterrent is open shows the extent of the current upheaval'

Threatened by a potential withdrawal of the American umbrella, Germany and Poland are calling on France for its nuclear deterrence, writes Le Monde columnist Sylvie Kauffmann.

Published on March 12, 2025, at 11:02 am (Paris) Sylvie Kauffmann

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Ukraine accepts US proposal for 30-day ceasefire, stepping back into diplomatic game

The Trump administration is awaiting a response from the Kremlin on this temporary cessation of hostilities, a prerequisite for peace negotiations. The agreement on Ukrainian minerals, which had seemed to be a priority for Washington, has taken a back seat.

Published on March 12, 2025, at 10:32 am (Paris), updated on March 12, 2025, at 11:13 am Piotr Smolar

In Depth Subscribers only

European countries face growing pressure to seize frozen Russian assets

Political leaders are increasingly saying they want to use the €210 billion in frozen assets of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation to finance military aid to Ukraine.

Published on March 11, 2025, at 8:00 pm (Paris) Eric Albert Denis Cosnard Virginie Malingre

News

Ukraine backs 30-day ceasefire as US ends aid freeze

Ukraine and the United States engaged in talks in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, with Kyiv agreeing to a 30-day ceasefire proposed by the US. The Trump administration said it would immediately resume military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine.

Published on March 11, 2025, at 7:23 pm (Paris), updated on March 12, 2025, at 10:03 am Le Monde with AP and AFP

News

France says seizing frozen Russian assets risky, needs EU 'framework'

'Under European law, there is no reason to seize' the €200 billion in frozen Russian assets, said the French finance minister, arguing 'it could pose a risk to European financial stability.'

Published on March 11, 2025, at 5:59 pm (Paris), updated on March 11, 2025, at 6:34 pm Le Monde with AFP

News

Macron urges allies to work on Ukraine security guarantees

The French president on Tuesday welcomed military chiefs from EU and NATO countries, including Britain and Turkey, to investigate security guarantees for Ukraine as negotiations with US officials began in Saudi Arabia.

Published on March 11, 2025, at 2:18 pm (Paris), updated on March 11, 2025, at 9:18 pm Le Monde with AFP

00:57
Video

Video: Moscow targeted by 'massive' Ukrainian drone attack

On Tuesday, the Kremlin denounced the massive Ukrainian drone attack that targeted the Moscow suburbs overnight, leaving at least two people dead and 18 injured, according to the Russian Health Ministry.

Published on March 11, 2025, at 12:02 pm (Paris) Le Monde's video desk 00:57

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On foreign policy, Trump prefers his own negotiators to experienced professionals

The American president's special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, a former real-estate tycoon, is also handling the Ukraine talks.

Published on March 11, 2025, at 11:41 am (Paris), updated on March 11, 2025, at 12:43 pm Piotr Smolar

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