FRANCE PERSPECTIVE

France has already decided. The European Union and Germany, echoed by France, made clear they would not be intimidated by such threats — that statement is quoted in the opening of 20 Minutes' coverage. France 24 documents the military escalation in both dimensions: Russian strikes that killed 27 people before Ukraine's ceasefire deadline, and the embassy warning described as diplomatic pressure without precedent since 2022. French media place the event in precise chronological context: on the 1,534th day of the conflict, Moscow attempts to impose its memorial truce through intimidation after the failure of Ukraine's May 6 ceasefire, which Russia violated 1,820 times. France 24 quotes Ukraine's foreign minister: 'Putin only cares about military parades, not human lives.' 20 Minutes adds a domestic French political dimension: Ukrainian negotiator Umerov flew to Florida to meet Witkoff and Kushner, a sign that US negotiations are resuming after the Iran front had pushed Ukraine to the sidelines. The underlying trend identified by French media: a new escalation risks transforming the battle of ceasefires into a launching point for a more intense military phase.