France, Feb. 25 -- In a joint press conference with US President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron warned that peace cannot mean the "surrender" of Ukraine and that Europe was ready to "step up" its defence commitments to build a long-lasting peace.

Meeting at the White House on the third anniversary of Russia's invasion, the two leaders said there was progress on the idea of sending peacekeepers to Ukraine, although Macron insisted on US security guarantees for Kyiv.

"This peace cannot mean the surrender of Ukraine," Macron told a joint news conference on Monday.

Ukraine "fought over these past few years for its independence and for its sovereignty, but also for our collective security", Macron said. "I think that no one ...