Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has described his first in-person talks with US-president elect Donald Trump since November’s US election as “productive” as the pair discussed ending the war as soon as possible.
Mr Trump arrived in Paris for a ceremony to mark the reopening of Notre-Dame cathedral, destroyed by a fire in 2019, in a return to the world stage at a time leaders are jostling for his attention.
The meeting with Mr Zelensky was brokered and attended by French president Emmanuel Macron, who played a key role in the service at the cathedral amid turmoil in French politics.
Mr Trump has previously pledged to end Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine within 24 hours of his 20 January inauguration, although his officials have floated the idea of forcing Kyiv to cede territory to Russian leader Vladimir Putin to achieve that aim.
On the 35-minute three-way meeting on Saturday night, Mr Zelensky described it as “good and productive”, adding: “We all want this war to end as soon as possible and in a just way. We spoke about our people, the situation on the ground, and a just peace.”
He said they had “agreed to continue working together and keep in contact”. Echoing a phrase adopted by Mr Trump’s supporters, he said: “Peace through strength is possible.”
This week, the Ukrainian president sent his chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, to the US to meet with Mr Trump’s representatives, as well as the current administration, in a bid to ensure Washington’s continued support.
Prior to Mr Zelensky’s arrival in Paris, while Mr Trump and Mr Macron were standing outside the Elysee Palace, the US president-elect hinted at what was on the agenda.
“It certainly seems like the world is going a little crazy right now,” he said. “And we’ll be talking about that.”
Mr Macron is one of only a handful of European leaders who were in power during Mr Trump’s first term. Back then, he used flattery and pomp to curry favour with the unpredictable Mr Trump.
Second time around, the invitation to the reopening of Notre-Dame suggests he will adopt the same strategy. The stakes, however, are considerably higher.
The French premier has become a champion of Ukraine’s fight against Russia, earlier this year becoming the first Western leader to say he was open to the idea of European troops being stationed in Ukraine.
Mr Trump spent about 90 minutes inside the presidential palace. They were joined by Mr Zelensky for about 35 minutes. The three leaders spoke in English, although a translator was in the room, according to a French official.
The French president's office said the three-way talks were proposed by Mr Macron and arranged shortly before Mr Trump's arrival.
A person familiar with Trump's plans had said before the meeting was announced that while Mr Trump and Mr Zelensky were attending the cathedral ceremony and surrounding events and probably would interact, Mr Trump's transition team had not worked with the Ukrainians to schedule formal talks.
After the meeting, a Trump senior transition official did not push back on the idea that it had come together at the last minute, but said it had been "discussed fully and agreed to" and that Mr Trump had been "fully briefed" ahead of time.
"United States, Ukraine and France. Together on this historic day. United for Notre-Dame. Let's continue to work together for peace and security," Mr Macron wrote on X, formerly Twitter, afterward.
Nicolas Tenzer, a French former senior civil servant and expert on Russia, said that beyond aiding Ukraine’s hopes of a prosperous deal, Mr Macron will want to have been present in the meeting between Mr Zelensky and Mr Trump to ensure Europe has a seat at the negotiating table.
British and US former officials during Mr Trump’s first term told The Independent it was certainly possible that the US president-elect could do a deal over their heads, negotiating directly with Mr Putin.
Mr Trump, while visiting Paris, also met with the Prince of Wales – first greeting in the cathedral before joining William for a 40-minute meeting at the residence of the British ambassador.
Mr Trump said the prince, who was in Paris on the request of the UK government, was “doing a fantastic job”.
The events come as Mr Macron’s government has been cast into chaos after what he called a “coalition of the irresponsible” – including the far left and hard right – uniting to push through a vote of no-confidence in the French president’s pick for prime minister, Michel Barnier.
France now risks ending the year without a stable government or a 2025 budget, although the constitution allows for special measures that would avert a US-style government shutdown.
It was expected that Mr Macron would appoint a new prime minister prior to the reopening of the Notre-Dame after he said during a nation address on Thursday that he would pick someone “in the coming days”.
But while the meeting with Mr Trump may have been a diplomatic success for Mr Macron, the US president-elect, among dozens of world leaders, arrived on Saturday to a country still without a legitimate prime minister. Mr Barnier, upon Mr Macron’s request, is acting as a caretaker prime minister prior to the next appointment.
