Washington
UJ
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French President Emmanuel Macron made an effort on Monday to ground President Donald Trump’s plans for resolving the Ukraine conflict in reality, emphasizing their mutual desire for peace while cautioning against Russia’s history of failing to adhere to international agreements.
He repeatedly highlighted the importance of security assurances to ensure that Moscow honors its commitments this time, stating that any accord must be “verified and validated.” He also shared insights from his dialogues with Vladimir Putin, indicating that discussions with the Russian leader should be approached from a position of strength.
“We desire peace. He desires peace,” Macron remarked regarding his American counterpart while standing beside Trump. “We want peace, swiftly, but we are not seeking a weak agreement.”
“This peace should not signify Ukraine’s surrender,” he asserted.
In contrast, Trump did not mention security guarantees during his remarks at the joint news conference and instead presented himself as a skilled negotiator aiming for a deal.
“I have communicated with President Putin, and my team is in constant contact with him and his people, and they are eager to reach an agreement,” he stated from the East Room. “This is my forte: making deals. My entire life revolves around deals. I can tell when someone wants to negotiate and when they don’t.”
Macron aimed to leverage his long-standing personal rapport with Trump to advocate for Ukraine and Europe’s interests in light of a week marked by a serious decline in transatlantic relations. The two appeared cordial, exchanging compliments and smiles throughout their meeting. Trump praised Macron for his rapid reconstruction of Paris’ Notre-Dame Cathedral, which was severely impacted by a fire.
Macron also highlighted areas of consensus. He reiterated his ongoing position that European nations need to take on greater responsibility for their security, a view he shares with Trump in principle.
However, their differences were still apparent, and by the conclusion of the meeting, it seemed Trump had not substantially shifted his views regarding accountability for the Ukraine conflict or Europe’s support for Kyiv.
As the two leaders convened on Monday, a US-led resolution that avoided labeling Russia as the aggressor passed in the UN Security Council, supported by Moscow and lacking the endorsement of the US’ European allies.
Additionally, in a notable exchange highlighting the tense dynamics of Monday’s discussions between the French and American leaders, Macron sought to correct Trump on the nature of European support for Ukraine, interrupting him to clarify what he believed to be inaccuracies.
“Just so you know, Europe is lending money to Ukraine. They are expected to repay it,” Trump began, as he prepared to advocate for a new arrangement regarding Ukraine’s mineral revenues.
At that moment, Macron reached out to grasp Trump’s arm to interject.
“Actually, to be direct, we covered 60% of the overall efforts. Just like the US: loans, guarantees, and grants,” he stated, as Trump offered a rueful smile.
Trump expressed a willingness to consider a European peacekeeping force in Ukraine, a proposal he plans to learn more about later this week during his meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. He also mentioned having discussed the concept with Putin, noting that the Russian leader was also receptive to it.
Later on, Macron described Europeans as functioning as an “assurance force” in Ukraine, while Americans would act “in solidarity,” although it was evident that the precise details of the scheme still need clarifying.
Trump also indicated his readiness to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky soon to finalize a deal permitting US access to Ukraine’s mineral resources, which Macron acknowledged positively.
“It looks like we’re approaching a resolution,” Trump stated.
The president emphasized that the Ukraine conflict could be resolved within weeks, refraining from calling Putin a dictator — a term he’s used for Ukraine’s leader — and reiterated his intention to visit Moscow eventually.
Even before the formal discussions commenced, Trump and Macron had already spent over two hours together during a virtual G7 meeting. They participated via teleconference, with Trump in the Oval Office and Macron beside him, marking the third anniversary of the conflict in Ukraine.
The G7 meeting occurred against a tense backdrop, with US officials resisting a proposal to include a reference to “Russian aggression” in the concluding statement. Trump has also revived his push to allow Russia to rejoin the group, echoing a debate he had in 2019 with Macron and other leaders during the summit in Biarritz hosted by the French president.
After their morning meeting, both leaders indicated that the two-hour virtual summit was successful. As they departed the West Wing on foot, Macron described the talks as “perfect.”
For Macron, who has had a complex relationship with Trump since 2017, Monday’s discussions were aimed at leveraging what he perceives as a unique connection with the US president to advocate for Ukraine and Europe.
Macron expressed a degree of optimism last week, suggesting that Trump held him in high regard.
“He is a person I respect,” Macron noted, “who I believe respects me.”
The significance of this rapport during Monday’s talks wasn’t entirely apparent.
Prior to the meeting, Trump lamented what he claimed were inadequate efforts by both Macron and Starmer to end the conflict, asserting they “haven’t accomplished anything,” despite their significant contributions to Ukraine’s defense.
Macron has previously utilized his platform to urge Trump to support Ukraine, having organized a surprise three-way meeting in Paris last December with himself, Trump, and Zelensky to discuss the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral. According to one official, Trump was respectful and “in listening mode” during that meeting as Zelensky articulated the need for security guarantees for Ukraine following the war.
Macron sought to clarify to Trump that Putin had changed since the last time the US president was in office. He cautioned that if Ukraine were to be defeated, the US could be viewed as weak by its other adversaries — particularly, China.
Two months later, it appears that those discussions have not made a lasting impact on Trump, who recently criticized Zelensky and suggested that Ukraine initiated the conflict.
Starmer, set to meet Trump on Thursday, is expected to inform his US counterpart about a developing plan to deploy as many as 30,000 European peacekeeping troops to Ukraine, aiming to reflect Europe’s commitment to taking on more of the security burden for the country moving forward. He may also specify a timeline for the UK to increase defense spending to 2.5% of its GDP.
This story and headline have been updated with additional developments.
