Macron charting a new course for peace with 'coalition of the willing'

The French president and many others in Europe have come to a realisation: The old world, in which the US could be relied upon as a deterrent or a protector or anything really, is no more

France's president Emmanuel Macron welcomes Taoiseach Micheál Martin as he arrives for a summit at the Élysée Palace in Paris on Thursday. Picture: Ludovic Marin/AFP)

Much was made in February when US president Donald Trump held talks on the war between Russia and Ukraine but declined to invite the latter.

While Ukraine would subsequently join the talks in Saudi Arabia, there was no seat at the table for Europe.