During the last meeting with Donald Trump, Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy tried to explain to him Ukraine's need for security guarantees in any negotiation process to end the war with Russia.
Points of attention
- Trump expressed readiness to immediately end the war and start negotiations, but did not reveal specific details.
- Macron and Zelensky were on the same page during the negotiations, but did not push Trump to take decisive steps.
- Zelensky's team remains uncertain about US plans to end the war in Ukraine.
What Zelensky, Trump and Macron talked about
According to insiders, the presidents did not discuss specific details of any peace vision during the meeting in Paris, but Trump reiterated his desire for an immediate ceasefire and talks to end the war quickly.
Journalists also learned that the future head of the White House behaved in a friendly, respectful and open manner and seemed willing to listen.
However, there is still a significant "minus", which consists in the fact that neither Trump nor the officials close to him who deal with the issues of Ukraine currently do not give a clear answer to how exactly they see the end of the war.
Against this background, Volodymyr Zelenskyi's team feels even more uncertain, especially given that the Russian army is trying to capture more and more territory before Trump returns to the White House.
According to insiders, the generally friendly nature of the Republican's personal communication with Zelensky differs from some of his public statements about the President of Ukraine.
Macron was on Zelensky's side
The journalists drew attention to the fact that the Ukrainian and French leaders were on the same page during the meeting in Paris, but did not want it to look like they were trying to drive Trump into a dead end.
According to Volodymyr Zelenskyi, on the international stage, the Russian dictator Putin is afraid only of Trump, and perhaps also of China.
The head of state warned his counterpart that any lasting peace would require the US to remain "really strong".
Two other interlocutors said Macron used the meeting to argue that Europeans have already done a lot to support Ukraine and that they are also ready to share the security burden more evenly with the United States.
In addition, it is emphasized that the presidents of Ukraine and France explained to Trump that Putin in 2024 is not the same as he was in 2017 during his previous term.
