FRENCH President Emmanuel Macron promised to stop the “Russian war machine” today ahead of a visit to Kiev where it is believed he will press the case for a peace deal.

He is set to arrive in Ukraine on Thursday with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi and Romanian President Klaus Iohannis.

The world leaders will hold talks with Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelensky with the European Commission set announce its recommendation on the country’s bid for EU membership status. 

Speaking in Romania, the French leader said that while he hopes Ukraine will win the war, it must eventually be prepared to sign a peace deal.

“We share a continent. Geography is stubborn and at the end of it, Russia is there. It was there yesterday, it’s there today and will be there tomorrow," he told a press gathering. 

The rhetoric has toned down in recent weeks with analysts suggesting that the new overtures for peace are an admission that Ukraine cannot defeat the Russian invasion.

While sanctions on Russia are failing to have the desired effect, Western economies are in crisis, with Germany, the US and Italy among those predicted to slide into recession.

A two-day European leaders summit will discuss Ukraine’s membership of the bloc next week with a number of countries known to have reservations.