PARIS—French President Emmanuel Macron will meet U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington on Feb. 24.
His visit precedes that of UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who is set to arrive three days later as part of ongoing transatlantic discussions amid U.S.-led efforts to end the three-year war in Ukraine.
As speculation mounts over Trump’s strategy for resolving the conflict, Macron, who said he speaks with Trump frequently, is seeking to convince his U.S. counterpart that Washington’s approach should align with the interests of the European Union and guarantee Ukraine a seat at the negotiating table.
At a press briefing on Feb. 21, Bertrand Buchwalter, senior counselor to Macron, confirmed that Ukraine would be central to discussions in Washington.
“The President is going with the objective of supporting Trump’s desire to end the war but also ensuring that Ukraine and Europe’s interests are taken into account,” Buchwalter said.
According to Walid Fouque, another counselor to Macron, “This will also be an opportunity to address trade issues as well as the key projects we wish to continue pursuing with the United States.”
During a social media Q&A session on Feb. 20, the French president outlined the core message he intends to deliver to Trump: “You can’t be weak in the face of President Putin. That’s not you, it’s not your trademark, and it’s not in your interest.”
Macron said his goal is to tie Ukraine’s fate to broader U.S. strategic objectives.
“You, who want to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, cannot afford to be weak with a leader actively assisting them,” he said. “You, who want to stop China from challenging Taiwan: How can you argue that China has no right to invade Taiwan while Russia would have the right to invade Ukraine?
“These are the points I will make to him. These are arguments that, I believe, can resonate.”
Macron said he would also seek to persuade Trump that U.S. interests and European interests are in harmony and to tell him, “If you let Russia take over Ukraine, it would be unstoppable.”
“Russia will absorb Ukraine’s military, one of the largest in Europe, along with its arsenal, including American-supplied equipment,” Macron said.
The French leader also said any peace deal should be negotiated with both Ukrainians and Europeans at the table.
“We want peace,“ he said. “But we don’t want a cease-fire that means Ukraine surrendering, because that’s dangerous. And we know that would lead to Russia going further. We’ve already experienced it.”
In the ongoing negotiations, Macron presented Trump’s diplomatic style as both a risk and an opportunity.
“Donald Trump creates uncertainty for others because he wants to make deals,” he said. “That uncertainty, when directed at Vladimir Putin, can be a strategic advantage. Putin thinks, ‘Trump is capable of anything.’ That makes him cautious, and that is good for us and Ukraine.
“The flip side is that it creates uncertainty for all allies.
“That’s why you see nervousness in Europe. They fear he might negotiate a deal that concedes too much, that sacrifices Ukraine. I don’t believe he will.”
In a nod to one of Trump’s longstanding demands, Macron indicated that European nations must step up their defense commitments.
“We, as Europeans, must increase our military efforts,” he said. “In March 2020, I said, ‘We are at war’—back then, it was against the virus. Today, in a way, we are at war, and we must prepare for the conflicts ahead.”
Macron’s stance underscores growing concern among EU governments over the Trump administration’s discussions on ending the war in Ukraine, which have sidelined both the Ukrainian government and the EU. On Feb. 18, U.S. and Russian officials met in Saudi Arabia to explore cease-fire terms, marking a significant departure in U.S. foreign policy from the stance of the Biden administration and raising alarm in Ukraine and the EU.
Macron’s view on Ukraine’s role in the conflict contrasts sharply with Trump’s position. The U.S. president recently questioned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s role and effectiveness in past negotiations related to the war.
“I think I have the power to end this war, and I think it’s going very well,” Trump said at a Feb. 18 press conference at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida. “But today, I heard, ‘Oh, well, we weren’t invited.’ Well, you’ve been there for three years. You should have ended it.”
Trump also suggested that Ukraine was responsible for letting the war start.
“You should have never started it,“ he said. “You could have made a deal. I could have made a deal for Ukraine.”
Zelenskyy responded, accusing Trump of living in a “disinformation space.” The U.S. president fired back, calling the Ukrainian leader a “dictator” and a “modestly successful comedian” who “talked the United States into spending $350 billion on a war that could not be won” and that “never had to start.”
Speaking in an audio interview with Fox News on Feb. 21, Trump questioned the necessity of having Ukraine in negotiations.
“I don’t think [Zelenskyy] is very important to ... the meetings,” Trump said. “He’s been there for three years. He makes it very hard to make deals.”
Later, during a gathering of U.S. governors at the White House, Trump said Ukrainian leaders do not have “any cards” in the talks.
“I’ve had very good talks with Putin, and I’ve had not such good talks with Ukraine,” he said. “They don’t have any cards, but they play it tough. But we’re not going to let this continue.”
