The French president is set to meet President Donald Trump at the White House on Feb. 24.
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.
