US President-elect Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met in Paris on Dec. 7 for trilateral talks during a ceremony marking the reopening of Notre-Dame Cathedral, five years after it was devastated by fire.
The meeting, convened by Mr. Macron, focused on the ongoing Ukraine-Russia war, with concerns among European leaders that Mr. Trump, who takes office in January, might withdraw critical US military aid to Ukraine. President Zelensky described the talks as “good and productive,” thanking Mr. Trump for his commitment and emphasizing their shared desire for a “just” resolution to the war.
Mr. Macron, a staunch supporter of NATO and Ukraine’s defense, used the occasion to foster dialogue with Mr. Trump, whose foreign policy priorities often differ from those of European allies. Arriving at the Elysee Palace, Mr. Trump praised his previous collaborations with Mr. Macron, while both leaders acknowledged the increasingly chaotic global landscape.
The brief 20-minute meeting was part of Mr. Trump’s first overseas trip since his election victory and underscored Mr. Macron’s strategy of engaging directly with Trump, echoing efforts during his previous term. Analysts noted that the Paris visit symbolically marks Trump’s return to the international stage, coinciding with his preparations to re-enter the White House.
Following the talks, Mr. Trump joined global leaders and dignitaries at Notre-Dame’s grand reopening ceremony, a spectacle filled with historical and symbolic weight. Political observers see Mr. Macron’s invitation to Mr. Trump as a calculated diplomatic move to maintain influence with the incoming US administration.