France on Thursday hailed talks on the Ukraine war between top US and European officials during which US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reaffirmed a US peace plan.

President Emmanuel Macron's office said the talks launched a "positive process" as Europe seeks to be included in efforts to end the three-year-old war.

The meetings in the French capital included Macron, Rubio, US envoy Steve Witkoff, British Foreign Secretary David Lammy, German officials and Ukrainian ministers.

They took place as President Donald Trump's push to end the war stumbles, with Russia's President Vladimir Putin rebuffing a complete truce.

"Today in Paris, we launched a positive process in which the Europeans are involved," the French presidency said.

A new meeting of envoys from the United States, France, Britain, Germany and Ukraine will take place next week in London, it added.

Rubio called Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to discuss the Paris meeting, Moscow and Washington said.

"President Trump and the United States want this war to end, and have now presented to all parties the........

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