WASHINGTON — French President Emmanuel Macron visited Washington with the aim of persuading U.S. President Donald Trump to collaborate with Europe in negotiations with Russia to end the ongoing war in Ukraine. Following his discussions at the White House, Macron termed the meeting a “turning point,” although Trump refrained from making any commitments.
Macron, marking his position as the first European leader to meet with Trump since his reelection, sought to leverage their established rapport to advise Trump not to display weakness in his dealings with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Concerns have arisen among European allies and Ukrainian officials, particularly following Trump’s remarks that align with Putin’s narrative along with his intention to initiate direct talks with Moscow. After Monday’s meeting, Macron expressed optimism about Trump’s overture to Putin, suggesting it could pave the way for a truce between Russia and Ukraine in the near future.
“But my message was to say ‘be careful’ because we need something substantial for Ukraine,” Macron stated.
“We desire peace promptly, yet we do not want a fragile agreement,” he emphasized during a joint news conference with Trump. Macron insisted that any agreement with Russia must be “assessable, checkable, and verifiable.”
When questioned at the press conference about Trump’s confidence in negotiating with Putin regarding Ukraine, Trump remarked, “I may be wrong, but I believe he wants to make a deal.”
Macron is recognized for his proactive diplomatic initiatives.
Last year, he was the first European leader to publicly contemplate sending Western troops to Ukraine. In a recent visit, he arranged a crucial meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Furthermore, he convened an urgent assembly of key EU leaders to affirm the necessity of European involvement in discussions aimed at concluding the war in Ukraine.
Since taking office in 2017, Macron has maintained a unique relationship with Trump, regularly communicating with him.
Their amicable rapport was demonstrated during a poignant moment where Macron emphasized that Europe hadprovided “real money” to support Ukraine, rather than merely loans.
Macron arrived in Washington prepared, stating his intention to advocate for increased French and European defense expenditures, a response to Trump’s persistent requests.
He also expressed agreement with Trump on establishing access to Ukraine’s valuable mineral resources, viewing it as evidence of deep American engagement. Paris, alongside Kyiv, considers this deal instrumental in securing long-term U.S. backing for Ukraine’s sovereignty.
Trump indicated openness to the deployment of European security forces in Ukraine, contingent on a successful peace agreement.
Nevertheless, he refrained from making any definite promises concerning Ukraine’s sovereignty or the security of Europe.
