PARIS: French President Emmanuel Macron reached out to both Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday, urging for calm following a heated exchange between the two leaders at the White House on Friday.
The French presidency announced that Macron also spoke with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, European Council President Antonio Costa, and NATO chief Mark Rutte ahead of a crucial meeting of European leaders regarding Ukraine scheduled for Sunday in London.
During a tense meeting in the Oval Office on Friday, Trump hinted at potentially withdrawing U.S. support for Ukraine, a move that raised concerns among European leaders who worry that a swift ceasefire could encourage further aggression from Russia, which invaded Ukraine three years ago.
“I think that amid the stress, it’s important for everyone to calm down and show respect and gratitude. We need to move forward because what’s at stake is too critical,” Macron stated in an interview with several Sunday newspapers.
Macron and Starmer have been proactive in Europe, working to persuade Trump against hastily pushing for a ceasefire and urging him to provide security assurances to Ukraine. During their talks in Washington this past week, they suggested deploying peacekeepers in Ukraine as part of a long-term strategy.
In his conversation with Macron, Zelenskiy expressed his willingness to “restore dialogue” with the United States, including discussions on a potential agreement that would allow the U.S. to tap into Ukraine’s natural resource revenues. However, Macron did not disclose the specifics of Trump’s response during their call.
Tensions Rise in White House Meeting Between Trump and Zelenskiy
“America’s destiny is to stand with the Ukrainians, and I firmly believe that,” Macron was quoted as saying by La Tribune Dimanche. “I want Americans to realize that pulling support from Ukraine would not serve their interests.”
Additionally, Macron mentioned his hopes for a European Union summit on March 6, where he aims for unanimous agreement on a unified debt plan to secure “several hundred billion euros” for enhancing European defense efforts.
