Macron: West will increase pressure on Russia in the next ten days

(Patria) - French President Emmanuel Macron stated in an interview published on Monday that Western allies will "increase pressure on Russia" in the next ten days and that he told Washington to toughen its stance towards Moscow, AFP reported.

Macron's comments to the French weekly Paris Match came after U.S. President Donald Trump hardened his stance towards Russian President Vladimir Putin following talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of Pope Francis' funeral.

Relations between Zelenskyy and Trump have been strained after Washington opened direct talks with the Kremlin to end the war triggered by Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

"In the next eight to ten days, we will increase pressure on Russia," Macron said. Macron, who was also in the Vatican on Saturday for the Pope's funeral, added:

"The next fifteen days will be crucial in attempting to implement a ceasefire" in Ukraine.

Macron added that he believes he has "convinced the Americans of the possibility of escalating threats and potentially sanctions" against Moscow.

He said he spoke with Trump last week "to encourage him to take a firmer stance" against Putin. And at the Pope's funeral, "I told him (Trump) again: 'We must be much tougher with the Russians'," Macron told Paris Match.

"The goal is for the Americans to be able to go to Kyiv fairly quickly, for us to establish the conditions for a ceasefire and to work in detail on measures to support this ceasefire in order to preserve it on the Ukrainian side," Macron said.

He did not say what kind of American delegation might visit Kyiv.

"We must be ready, together with the Americans, to toughen our stance towards Russia to ensure this ceasefire," the French president said.

Russia has not yet responded to American offers for a long-term ceasefire, instead unilaterally announcing short ceasefires, including one from May 8 to 10.

"I believe that we have succeeded, thanks to this meeting in the Vatican, in putting pressure on Russia. This was the desired goal, as it was unfair for the pressure to be solely on Ukraine," Macron said.