U.S. President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron highlighted significant differences on Monday regarding their strategies for Ukraine, revealing a split between the U.S. and Europe concerning Trump’s push for a rapid ceasefire agreement with Russia.
During their discussions, Trump and Macron exhibited a cordial relationship stemming from their long-standing rapport. However, Macron clearly articulated his disagreement with Trump on several crucial points as they acknowledged three years since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Trump chose not to label Russian President Vladimir Putin as a dictator, despite referring to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in that manner the previous week. Macron stated unequivocally that Russia “is the aggressor” in the ongoing conflict, a stance Trump had shown uncertainty on last week.
“President Putin breached the peace,” Macron declared during a joint press conference with Trump.
Trump conveyed his wish for a ceasefire to be established as soon as possible and mentioned his efforts to broker an agreement between Ukraine and Russia. He indicated he could travel to Moscow to meet with Putin once a deal is finalized.
In contrast, Macron advocated for a more cautious approach, urging the need to start with a truce before working towards a peace agreement that includes security guarantees.
“We both seek peace; he desires peace. We want peace quickly, but we do not want a weak agreement,” Macron communicated to reporters.
He emphasized that any peace settlement must be “evaluated, verified, and confirmed.”
Nevertheless, the two leaders did concur on the deployment of European peacekeeping forces once a peace agreement is ultimately secured.
“They would not be located along the front lines. They would not engage in any conflict. Their role would be to ensure that the peace is upheld,” Macron remarked earlier in the Oval Office alongside Trump.
Trump acknowledged acceptance of the idea, as did Putin.
“Yes, he will agree to that,” Trump commented regarding Putin’s stance on a peacekeeping force. “I specifically asked him that question. He has no issue with it.”
Macron, the first European leader to visit Trump since his recent return to power a month ago, described his meetings with Trump as “a turning point” towards achieving a more unified stance.
Macron is looking to leverage the relationship with Trump that developed during their first terms in office. The French leader demonstrated his capability to engage with the unpredictable Trump without estranging him.
At one moment during their Oval Office discussion, Macron gently touched Trump’s arm and thoughtfully corrected the U.S. president’s assertion that Europe had provided all of its assistance as loans.
Trump shared updates about making headway on establishing a revenue-sharing agreement with Ukraine concerning Ukrainian minerals as a means to recover costs incurred from the weaponry sent to Ukraine by the previous Biden administration. Trump anticipated Zelenskiy would visit the United States in the coming week to finalize the deal.
Trump and his team have been working on a minerals revenue-sharing arrangement with Ukraine to mitigate some of the financial support that the Biden administration previously provided to Kyiv in the form of arms to fend off Russia.
Last week, Zelenskiy rejected U.S. requests for $500 billion in mineral resources from Ukraine as repayment for wartime assistance, asserting that the United States had yet to provide such a large sum and failed to offer specific security assurances in the deal.
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When asked if it was conceivable that Ukraine might need to concede some territory to Russia, Trump replied, “Well, we’ll see.” Macron stated that any agreement should guarantee Ukraine’s sovereignty.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is scheduled to meet with Trump later this week, as concerns grow in Europe regarding Trump’s increasingly firm position on Ukraine and his gestures towards Moscow regarding the conflict.
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