French President Emmanuel Macron adopted an amiable approach towards President Trump, gently correcting him with a smile during their joint engagements on Monday. This blend of praise and light resistance exemplifies the strategy some European leaders are using to engage with America during this tense period.
The pressing question remains: will this approach be effective?
Macron referred to Trump as “Dear Donald” on four occasions during a shared news conference on Monday, highlighting the historical ties between France and the United States, and noting that both leaders had made headway in their discussions about a sustainable and robust peace deal for Ukraine.
Despite adhering to his talking points about shared aims and values, Macron also demonstrated his readiness to offer pushback.
When Trump asserted in the Oval Office that Europe would “recover their money” due to the financial support provided for Ukraine, Macron interjected pleasantly, saying, “We provided real money.” Later, during an interview with Fox News before heading back to France, Macron mildly critiqued the threats of tariffs on European consumer products as counterproductive, questioning, “How do you expect us to increase security and defense expenditures if we are entangled in a trade war?”
As the full-scale conflict in Ukraine enters its fourth year, Europe confronts a substantial challenge as American support for the war and for the continent weakens.
Macron’s visit was part of an intense week of European diplomacy in Washington, with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer slated to meet Trump on Thursday, and European Union’s chief diplomat, Kaja Kallas, engaging with administration officials. European leaders are preparing for a special summit on March 6 to support Ukraine and bolster European defense, and Macron will brief them on Wednesday concerning his discussions with Trump.
European officials are eager to keep the United States actively involved. American military capabilities and funding have been vital in supporting Ukraine’s resistance, and the United States is a crucial trading partner for the 27-member European Union. A decline in the trans-Atlantic relationship is detrimental to both sides, as EU leaders frequently highlight.
The recent tone shift in America has been abrupt and severe, leaving Europe feeling defensive. Trump has spent recent days sharply criticizing European allies while extending friendlier gestures toward Russia. Among his grievances, Trump has consistently insisted that European nations increase their own security spending — a point that Macron is comfortable emphasizing.
For years, President Macron has advocated for Europe to achieve greater “strategic autonomy” and reduce military reliance on the United States — often facing skepticism from some neighboring nations. He reiterated this sentiment in his meeting with Trump.
“Everyone in Europe clearly understands that it is our responsibility as Europeans” to take on more of the continent’s security duties, Macron stated in Washington. “Europeans are now prepared to do significantly more.”
Macron indicated that Europeans could participate in sending troops as part of a future peace agreement — not to the front lines, but as part of a peacekeeping contingent — with the United States expected to act in “solidarity” to support that strategy.
However, details on how the U.S. would contribute remain sparse. If necessary, it would take substantial resources, personnel, and time for Europe to develop the necessary capabilities to support Ukraine and to defend itself independently. This illustrates why officials are delicately urging the United States to maintain its engagement while reminding American counterparts that such involvement is also in Washington’s interest.
“Autocrats globally are observing closely whether there are consequences for invading neighboring countries and violating international borders,” stated Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, on Monday in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine.
“This is not just critical for Europe,” she emphasized. “It also matters for Asia, for Africa, and both sides of the Atlantic.”
It remains uncertain whether Macron and other European leaders can effectively sway Trump on the Ukraine issue as the American leader continues to court President Vladimir Putin of Russia and reshapes that dynamic. The actions and statements from Washington have left European officials concerned that Trump might negotiate a swift peace agreement with Russia without involving Ukrainian and other European leaders, creating a potential truce that leaves Kyiv vulnerable and empowers Putin. The Europeans worry this would place other nations on the continent at risk of future invasions.
“We share the goal of peace, but we are acutely aware of the need for guarantees and a solid peace to stabilize the situation,” Macron remarked in the Oval Office on Monday.
At first glance, Trump and Macron appeared to be all smiles and hearty handshakes during the French president’s visit. They referred to each other as close friends, reminiscing about previous meetings — including a Bastille Day celebration in 2017 and the reopening of Notre-Dame Cathedral last year — and emphasized a long-standing Franco-American alliance that dates back to Lafayette and World War II.
“The United States and France have consistently stood on the same side, the right side, I would assert, of history,” Macron stated. “This is what is at stake today.”
He was also careful not to provoke Trump directly, consistently portraying a positive interpretation of the American leader’s recent overtures towards Russia.
Macron — who faced criticism himself early in the war for his outreach to Putin before adopting a firmer stance — described discussions with Russia as “useful.” He framed U.S.-Ukraine talks regarding a mineral agreement as a hopeful sign, telling Fox News that it was “one of the best ways” to guarantee the United States’ commitment to “Ukrainian sovereignty.”
Yet beneath the concordant calls for peace were starkly divergent views on how to achieve it. Trump suggested, “We could wrap this up within weeks if we’re smart.” Macron consistently hammered his point: Don’t rush.
Macron stated that peace cannot equate to Ukraine’s “capitulation,” insisting that Ukraine must not be coerced into an unequal ceasefire without security assurances to prevent future Russian aggression.
“We seek peace, and I believe President Trump’s initiative is a very encouraging one,” Macron conveyed to Fox News. “But my message is to proceed with caution because we require something substantial.”
As a warning, Macron frequently referenced the ceasefire agreements of 2014 and 2015, known as the Minsk Accords, which were reached after Russian-backed separatists seized territory in eastern Ukraine. Those agreements failed to halt Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
“They were breached every time by Russia, and we did not react, none of us,” Macron remarked.
