French President Emmanuel Macron and Pres. Trump meet at White House

President Donald Trump met with French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday today to discuss topics including the war in Ukraine and trade issues. Earlier on Monday, Trump and Macron participated in a virtual meeting with fellow Group of Seven leaders to discuss the war.

Pres. Trump said: “France is America’s oldest ally, our cherished partnership has been a force for freedom, prosperity and peace from the very beginning. We’re now working on some very interesting developments, one in particular, as you know, the war between Russia and Ukraine.”  Trump said he was hopeful that Russia’s war in Ukraine was nearing an ‘endgame’ – on the third anniversary of the invasion. Trump said he believed Russian President Vladimir Putin would accept European peacekeepers in Ukraine to keep the peace, and ‘had hope’ that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy would soon come to the U.S. to sign a deal to give the U.S. access to Ukraine’s critical minerals (in order to repay some of the $180 billion in American aid that’s been sent to Kyiv since the start of the war).

Macron said at a joint press conference with Trump following their meeting said their talks were productive, acknowledging that European nations must do more to bolster defense on the continent while also warning against capitulating to Russia: ″This peace must not mean a surrender of Ukraine. It must not mean a ceasefire without guarantees. This peace must allow for Ukrainian sovereignty.”  Trump said he believed Putin would accept European peacekeepers in Ukraine as part of a potential deal to end Russia’s war there. “Yeah, he will accept it. I have asked him that question. Look, if we do this deal, he’s not looking for more war.”