Macron believes that this plan could bring Moscow and Kiev to a negotiating table this summer. The French president has reportedly tasked his foreign policy adviser Emmanuel Bonne to cooperate with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to work towards creating a basis for future talks between Moscow and Kiev.
According to media reports, Macron’s plan will be based on long-term security guarantees for Kiev.
In February, Beijing released a 12-point document entitled "China's Position on the Political Settlement of the Ukraine Crisis," that underlines respect for the sovereignty of all countries, the cessation of hostilities and the resumption of peace talks between Moscow and Kiev. In the document, Beijing also condemned the abuse of unilateral sanctions, saying that they did not contribute to the settlement of the crisis.
Moscow launched its special military operation in Ukraine in February 2022. Russian and Ukrainian delegations have engaged in several rounds of peace talks since then, but the negotiations ultimately reached an impasse. Russia has insisted that it is open for talks with Ukraine, even after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree prohibiting negotiations with Moscow in October 2022.
Western nations have imposed numerous sanctions on Russia and have been supplying weapons to Ukraine. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said any cargo that contains weaponry for Ukraine will become a legitimate target for Russia.