France's Macron and Poland's Tusk insist Ukraine must be at the heart of any potential peace talks

WARSAW, Poland — France's President Emmanuel Macron and Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Ukraine must have a pivotal role in any potential negotiations over Russia's war in the country, following a meeting Thursday in Warsaw.

Macron also insisted Europeans must be involved in security talks in ''very close'' coordination with the United States to ensure Europe's interests are taken into account.

The meeting comes after Macron held key talks with President-elect Donald Trump and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday in Paris. It also comes as Poland will assume the European Union presidency just weeks before Trump takes office.

''We talked about our joint work for a just peace in Ukraine,'' Tusk said in a joint declaration with his French counterpart.

''We have a clear position ... that Ukraine must be present at every (round of ) talks and every variant, every proposal must also be accepted by our friends in Kyiv,'' he said.

Poland has been one of Ukraine's strongest backers against Russia's full-scale invasion, which began on Feb. 24, 2022.

Tusk dismissed as ''speculation'' sending troops to Ukraine following a potential truce or peace deal.

"Decisions regarding Polish actions will be taken in Warsaw, and Warsaw alone,'' he said. ''For now we are not planning such actions.''

Macron noted that ''the Trump administration has indicated its willingness to try to change the course of this conflict.''

One day after meeting Zelenskyy, Trump asked Russian leader Vladimir Putin to act to reach an immediate ceasefire with Ukraine, describing it as part of his active efforts as president-elect to end the war despite being weeks away from taking office.

''We have to work very closely with the Americans, with Ukraine of course, to find a possible path that takes into account Ukraine's sovereignty and interests and the Europeans' security and interests," Macron said.