In a major diplomatic initiative, France and the United Kingdom have suggested a one-month ceasefire in Ukraine, aimed at ending combat in the air, at sea and on vital energy infrastructure. The proposal was announced by French President Emmanuel Macron after tense crisis talks in London, arranged by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Macron explained in an interview with Le Figaro that the proposed ceasefire does not at first stretch to ground operations as he acknowledged challenges in checking compliance along the long front lines. He pointed out that peacekeepers could be sent in a later phase but he dashed the hopes of European troops to be deployed in Ukraine anytime sooner.
French leader also stressed, apart from steps for stopping the wave of asylum seekers, needed to increase European countries military spending from 2 percent up to 3-3.5 percent of GDP, and he has pointed to large spending on military Russia. 
Conversely, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni also seemed coy about helping out with potential peacekeeping missions, telling Sky Italia she had never spoken about such topics.
The proposed ceasefire comes amidst a changing Washington foreign policy landscape and a still rapidly militarizing Russia face in Europe. Exactly whether the initiative will catch on is hard to tell – but nevertheless it bodes a new effort for diplomatic solutions in the long standing conflict in Ukraine.
