Trump showed ‘reluctance’ for meeting with Zelensky – Axios
According to Axios, French President Emmanuel Macron had to convince Donald Trump to arrange a meeting with Vladimir Zelensky in Paris. Read Full Article at RT.com.
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French President Emmanuel Macron reportedly spent several days attempting to persuade U.S. President-elect Donald Trump to meet with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky during Zelensky's visit to Paris, according to Axios.
Trump arrived in Paris on Saturday to participate in the reopening ceremony of Notre Dame Cathedral, which experienced significant damage due to a fire in 2019. This visit marked Trump’s first foreign trip since winning the election last month. Following the reopening ceremony, Trump, Macron, and Zelensky engaged in a trilateral meeting. Sources indicated that Trump had been “reluctant” to meet with Zelensky and decided to go ahead with the meeting at the last minute.
Reports from French media indicated that the meeting lasted approximately 45 minutes. None of the three leaders spoke to the press afterward, nor did they disclose any specific details regarding their discussions.
Nonetheless, all three later shared their thoughts on social media. Macron noted on X that the meeting centered on the conflict in Ukraine and “common action for peace and security.” Zelensky also took to X, describing the discussions as “good and productive,” thanking Trump for being “resolute.” He expressed that Kiev, Paris, and Washington “want this war to end as soon as possible” and suggested that “peace through strength is possible,” although he did not elaborate on that statement.
On his Truth Social platform, Trump called for an “immediate ceasefire and negotiations” between Moscow and Kiev, urging Russian President Vladimir Putin “to act” and indicating that “Zelensky and Ukraine would like to make a deal” with Russia. He refrained from providing additional details on this point.
Trump has claimed multiple times that he could resolve the Ukraine conflict within a day of returning to the White House and has criticized the outgoing U.S. administration for its level of military support to Ukraine. According to earlier media reports, he may seek to enforce a ‘freeze’ of the conflict along existing battle lines, leveraging U.S. aid to Ukraine in negotiations.
Moscow has repeatedly stated that it finds a freeze of the conflict unacceptable, asserting that any settlement can only occur if Ukraine withdraws its forces from Russian territory, respects the rights of its Russian-speaking population, and adheres to a policy of neutrality.
Sanya Singh for TROIB News
Trump arrived in Paris on Saturday to participate in the reopening ceremony of Notre Dame Cathedral, which experienced significant damage due to a fire in 2019. This visit marked Trump’s first foreign trip since winning the election last month. Following the reopening ceremony, Trump, Macron, and Zelensky engaged in a trilateral meeting. Sources indicated that Trump had been “reluctant” to meet with Zelensky and decided to go ahead with the meeting at the last minute.
Reports from French media indicated that the meeting lasted approximately 45 minutes. None of the three leaders spoke to the press afterward, nor did they disclose any specific details regarding their discussions.
Nonetheless, all three later shared their thoughts on social media. Macron noted on X that the meeting centered on the conflict in Ukraine and “common action for peace and security.” Zelensky also took to X, describing the discussions as “good and productive,” thanking Trump for being “resolute.” He expressed that Kiev, Paris, and Washington “want this war to end as soon as possible” and suggested that “peace through strength is possible,” although he did not elaborate on that statement.
On his Truth Social platform, Trump called for an “immediate ceasefire and negotiations” between Moscow and Kiev, urging Russian President Vladimir Putin “to act” and indicating that “Zelensky and Ukraine would like to make a deal” with Russia. He refrained from providing additional details on this point.
Trump has claimed multiple times that he could resolve the Ukraine conflict within a day of returning to the White House and has criticized the outgoing U.S. administration for its level of military support to Ukraine. According to earlier media reports, he may seek to enforce a ‘freeze’ of the conflict along existing battle lines, leveraging U.S. aid to Ukraine in negotiations.
Moscow has repeatedly stated that it finds a freeze of the conflict unacceptable, asserting that any settlement can only occur if Ukraine withdraws its forces from Russian territory, respects the rights of its Russian-speaking population, and adheres to a policy of neutrality.
Sanya Singh for TROIB News
