President Donald Trump is internet hosting French President Emmanuel Macron on the White Home on Monday, with Russia and Ukraine set to be atop the agenda because the world marks three years since Vladimir Putin’s invasion.
Trump and Macron participated in a name with different G7 leaders and can have a bilateral assembly within the Oval Workplace. After they’ll maintain a information convention within the East Room, the place they’ll count on to be peppered with questions concerning the standing of peace talks.
Macron, throughout a Q&A on his social media final week, mentioned he would inform Trump: “You possibly can’t be weak within the face of President Putin. It’s not you, it’s not your trademark, it’s not in your curiosity. How are you going to then be credible within the face of China when you’re weak within the face of Putin?”
Macron convened European leaders for emergency conferences on Ukraine in Paris final week, as high U.S. officers held talks with Russian counterparts in Saudi Arabia with out Ukraine and Europe.
Macron mentioned France and its companions agreed Ukraine should all the time be concerned and its rights revered in negotiations and that safety considerations of Europeans should be taken under consideration.
“Following discussions over the previous few days with European colleagues and allies, we’re dedicated to making sure that peace returns to Ukraine in a simply, stable, and lasting method, and that the safety of Europeans is strengthened by way of all upcoming negotiations,” Macron posted on X on Sunday forward of his journey to Washington.
President Donald Trump welcomes French President Emmanuel Macron to the White Home in Washington, Feb. 24, 2025.
Roberto Schmidt/AFP by way of Getty Pictures
French President Emmanuel Macron arrives on the West Wing forward of conferences with U.S. President Donald Trump on the White Home on Feb. 24, 2025 in Washington.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Pictures
The Trump administration’s elevated stress on Ukraine to resolve the battle, with Trump calling Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy a “dictator” and falsely blaming Ukraine for Russia’s ongoing assault. Trump escalated his criticism final week, when he mentioned Ukraine has “no playing cards” to play as negotiations unfold.
In the meantime, Trump mentioned he is had “good talks” with Putin. Trump has not appeared to make any calls for of Russia as negotiations unfold, whereas he is dominated out NATO membership and a return to Ukraine’s 2014 borders.
The posture marks a seismic shift in U.S. overseas coverage, and comes because the Trump administration brandishes an “America First” agenda that might upend conventional transatlantic alliances.
Vice President JD Vance prompted a stir when he took an aggressive tone towards Europe’s management on immigration, free speech and extra as he spoke on the Munich Safety Convention. Vance instructed U.S. allies the best menace to Europe was “inside” and never Russia or China.
Vance doubled down on these themes in his speech at CPAC final week. Requested there about the way forward for U.S. alliances on the continent, Vance mentioned they might proceed to have “essential” partnerships with Europe.
“However I actually do suppose the energy of these alliances goes to rely upon whether or not we take our societies in the proper route … That friendship relies on shared values,” he mentioned.
