Trump calls meeting with Macron an “important step” in ending Russia-Ukraine war

Washington — President Trump said Monday that his meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron marked an “important step” in ending the war between Russia and Ukraine, as Mr. Trump’s return to the White House has indicated a likely tipping point in American support — and a possible rift with France and other European allies. 

Mr. Trump and Macron, who have a long-standing relationship after both came to office in 2017, held a bilateral meeting and news conference Monday afternoon, after participating in a Group of Seven leadership call earlier in the day to mark three years since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Macron is the first European leader to visit the White House since Mr. Trump returned to office last month. 

“France is America’s oldest ally, our cherished partnership has been a force for freedom, prosperity and peace from the very beginning,” Mr. Trump said. “We’re now working on some very interesting developments, one in particular, as you know, the war between Russia and Ukraine.”

Citing France’s support during the American Revolution and during World War II, Mr. Trump said the purpose of the meeting was to “end another battle,” the war between Russia and Ukraine.

“The horrors of this gruesome and bloody war can scarcely be underestimated,” Mr. Trump said, citing the Russians and Ukrainians who have “needlessly died.” “It’s time to end this bloodletting and restore peace, and I think we’re going to do it.”

Mr. Trump called his meeting with Macron an “important step” toward achieving a permanent peace between Russia and Ukraine. He said it’s in the best interest of the U.S., Ukraine, Russia and Europe more broadly to “stop the killing now and bring the world to peace.” He added that he hopes his legacy will be of a “a peacemaker and a unifier.”

Macron reiterated that France and the U.S., along with European leaders, are committed to reaching lasting peace between Ukraine and Russia, while outlining how Europe would take on a larger role. 

Mr. Trump touted his relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying one of the first calls he made when he returned to the White House was to the Russian president, and he said the White House has been working on “deals right now” to end the war through a ceasefire or a broader agreement. 

“They want to end this war,” Mr. Trump said.

Macron said with the new U.S. administration, there’s “good reason for President Trump to reengage with President Putin,” while warning that Putin could violate a negotiated peace. Macron said “being strong and having deterrence capacities is the only way to be sure it will be respected,” saying the U.S. “has the capacity to do so.”

“A lot of my European colleagues are ready to be engaged, but we do need this American backup because this is part of the credibility of the security guarantees. And this is our collective deterrence capacity,” Macron said. “And I have the feeling that the president has this capacity.”

Mr. Trump said it’s “to the very much benefit of Russia to make a deal,” adding that he’s confident that Putin wants to make a deal. 

The meeting came as more than a dozen Western leaders, including European leaders and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, gathered Monday in Kyiv to show their continued support three years into the war with Russia. Meanwhile, the U.S. has reopened relations with Putin and sought to negotiate an end to the war, marking a major shift from the Biden administration. Preparations are underway for a meeting between Mr. Trump and Putin, Russia’s deputy foreign minister told state media on Saturday. 

Mr. Trump has also escalated a public feud with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in recent days, calling Zelenskyy a “dictator.” And Mr. Trump has argued that Ukraine should give something to the U.S. in return for the American aid the country has received, pointing to U.S. interest in Ukraine’s rare minerals.

Over the weekend, Zelenskyy said he would be willing to step down in exchange for Ukraine’s entrance into NATO military alliance. 

In a post Monday on Truth Social after the G7 meeting, Mr. Trump said everyone “expressed their goal of seeing the War end,” while claiming that it would never have started had he been in office. The president also said he expressed the importance of a rare minerals deal between the U.S. and Ukraine in the meeting, adding that he hopes the deal will be signed “very soon.” He also said he is engaged in “serious discussions” with Putin “concerning the ending of the War, and also major Economic Development transactions which will take place between the United States and Russia.”

The war between Russia and Ukraine was expected to dominate the meeting between the U.S. and French presidents on Monday, as Macron and Mr. Trump’s views on the conflict appear to diverge. Though Macron has expressed a shared goal of ending the war, he has stressed his support for Ukraine and its interests being represented — along with strengthening European security more broadly amid the worst military conflict on the continent since World War II. 

Mr. Trump called Macron a “very special man” during the bilateral meeting, noting that they talked about various trade deals between the U.S. and France earlier in the day.

Macron made clear the shared objective of peace, while praising the “bravery and resistance of the Ukrainian people.” The French president also touted the friendship between the U.S. and France, along with his personal friendship with Mr. Trump, while noting that this is a “very important moment for Europe.” Macron said European leaders are willing to be a “stronger partner” and do more on defense and security within the continent. 

Mr. Trump is also set to meet with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at the White House later this week.