French President Emmanuel Macron paid a visit to Washington, DC to engage in discussions with U.S. President Donald Trump. The main agenda was to urge Trump to bolster Europe’s position in his dialogues with Russia concerning the cessation of hostilities in Ukraine.
Macron characterized their meeting at the White House as a pivotal moment but noted that Trump did not commit to any definitive course of action. This visit marked Macron as the first European leader to connect with Trump following his re-election, as Macron aimed to leverage their rapport to prevent Trump from exhibiting a “weak” stance in dealings with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Trump’s recent declarations, which seem to align with Putin’s perspectives, alongside his intention for direct negotiations with Moscow, have raised alarms among European allies and Ukrainian representatives. Despite these concerns, Macron expressed optimism post-discussion, stating in a Fox News interview that Trump’s approach toward Putin might foster a near-term ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine.
“My message was clear: proceed with caution because Ukraine requires substantial outcomes,” emphasized Macron. “We are eager for peace, but a weak agreement is unacceptable,” he reiterated during a joint press briefing with Trump. Any resolution, according to Macron, must undergo rigorous evaluation and verification.
A question from a reporter concerning Trump’s confidence in Putin regarding Ukrainian matters elicited Trump’s response, “I may be wrong, but I believe he wants to make a deal.” Macron is renowned for his assertive diplomatic efforts.
Previously, in February last year, he was the pioneer among European leaders to contemplate deploying Western troops to Ukraine. Subsequently, in December, during Trump’s official visit to Paris for the Notre Dame Cathedral’s reopening, Macron swiftly organized a trilateral dialogue involving Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Recently, he convened an urgent meeting with prominent EU leaders and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who is slated to meet with Trump on Thursday, to stress the necessity of European input in Ukraine peace negotiations.
Since his presidential inception in 2017, Macron has had substantial interactions with Trump, gaining familiarity with his tendencies. “We communicate multiple times weekly,” Macron mentioned in an interview with the French news platform HugoDécrypte. This constant engagement, according to him, helps align their strategic approaches.
Their cordial relationship was evident when Macron, with a gentle touch on Trump’s arm, underscored that European contributions to Ukraine were genuine financial aid rather than mere loans.
Macron’s agenda was not without offerings; he pledged to fortify French and EU defense budgets, indirectly addressing a persistent demand from Trump. Additionally, he expressed support for Trump’s ambition to negotiate access to Ukraine’s rich mineral resources, which he views as indicative of significant American commitment. Seeing the deal as a means to ensure enduring U.S. support for Ukraine’s autonomy, this sentiment was echoed by both Paris and Kyiv.
Trump concisely agreed on the viability of deploying European security forces in Ukraine contingent on a peace agreement. Nonetheless, he refrained from making guarantees regarding Ukraine’s sovereignty or the broader security context of Europe.
