PARIS — French President Emmanuel Macron cautioned on Saturday that a just and lasting peace cannot be achieved by forsaking Ukraine, urging cooler heads after a tense Oval Office exchange between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Speaking to French media, Macron emphasized that it would not be in Washington’s interest to disengage from Ukraine, arguing that doing so would weaken the U.S.'s geostrategic deterrence against both Russia and China.

His comments followed Friday’s fiery confrontation at the White House, where Trump and Vice President JD Vance sharply criticized Zelenskyy, with Trump accusing the Ukrainian leader of ingratitude while Zelenskyy pressed for continued U.S. support.

Macron extended an invitation for dialogue, suggesting that renewed cooperation was essential to ensuring Ukraine's security rather than settling for an unstable ceasefire. — Agencies