France, UK propose one-month partial Ukraine truce — Macron

France and Britain are proposing a one-month truce in Ukraine “in the air, at sea,” after crisis talks in London, French President Emmanuel Macron says.

In an interview with France’s Le Figaro newspaper, Macron says that such a truce would not, initially at least, cover ground fighting.

The problem there is it would be very difficult to check that it is being respected given the size of the front line, he says.

Peacekeepers would be deployed at a later date, he says, adding: “There won’t be European troops on Ukrainian soil in the coming weeks.”

Macron also suggests that European countries should raise their defense spending to between 3.0 and 3.5 percent of GDP to respond to Washington’s shifting priorities and Russia’s militarization.

“For three years, the Russians have spent 10% of their GDP on defense,” he tells the paper. “So we have to prepare for what’s next.”