Macron: Territorial issues will be negotiated only by Zelenskyy

French President Emmanuel Macron has said that territorial issues "will not be the subject of talks" with anyone other than Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

As reported by BFM TV, a French TV news broadcast, Macron said after large-scale talks involving European leaders, Zelenskyy and US leadership that among the key topics discussed during the talks between European leaders and US President Donald Trump on the war in Ukraine, particular attention had been given to territorial issues.

"Territorial issues that fall under Ukraine's jurisdiction will be negotiated only by the Ukrainian president. This is the position we support," he stated.

He stressed that there are currently "no serious plans for a territorial swap" on the negotiating table.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, commenting on the talks, revealed the main points brought up in the conversation with Trump. In particular, it was discussed that "Ukraine is ready to discuss territorial issues, but the starting point will be the line of contact".

"Legal recognition of the occupied territories [as Russian – ed.] is not up for discussion," he emphasised.

Zelenskyy said that talks in different formats had covered the issue of a meeting between the US and Russian leaders in Alaska on 15 August. Trump proposed to Zelenskyy that they would maintain contact after the Alaska meeting.