Zelenskyy meets with Trump in Paris as he tries to build support for Ukraine
PARIS – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday strode into the Élysée Palace here to meet with President-elect Donald Trump, marking their first in-person discussion since Trump secured the White House while promoting an isolationist agenda that could limit aid to the embattled country.
French President Emmanuel Macron brokered the meeting on the sidelines of the reopening of the Notre Dame cathedral, where world leaders gathered to celebrate the cultural icon. Trump’s attendance underscored how he is already redefining U.S. foreign policy more than a month before he officially takes office.
Zelenskyy tweeted that the meeting, which was about 30 minutes long, was “good and productive.” He said the leaders agreed to continue to work together and stay in contact.
“We all want this war to end as soon as possible and in a just way,” Zelenskyy wrote. “We spoke about our people, the situation on the ground, and a just peace.”
The meeting at Élysée Palace marked an opportunity for Macron to position himself as Europe’s top Trump influencer as Western leaders fret that the president-elect could diminish key alliances as Russia makes critical gains in Ukraine.
As the three men exited the palace into dark rainfall, Macron stood between Trump and Zelenskyy, putting his arms around the two men amid tensions over the future role of the United States in the war. Ukraine needs billions of dollars in economic and military support every month to continue to fend off Russia, and the Biden administration has been lifting restrictions and ramping up aid in recent weeks. All later attended a grand service that celebrated the renovation of Notre Dame, gathering other dignitaries including first lady Jill Biden, Prince William and the world’s richest man, Elon Musk.
Trump has said he plans to end the war in Ukraine quickly, and he has criticized the United States for spending too much on the conflict. The president-elect has not yet outlined how he would stop the conflict that has plagued Ukraine for nearly three years, but his often cordial relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin has raised concerns about the concessions he might be willing to make when he returns to the White House.
Trump and Zelenskyy spoke over the phone following the 2024 election on a call that included Musk. Zelenskyy and Trump also held a meeting in September at Trump Tower in New York.
Macron has said that nothing must be decided “on Ukraine without Ukrainians and nothing on Europe without Europeans,” and that support for Ukraine should be reinforced so that it’s in a position of strength if negotiations occur.
The French president was among the first to call Trump after the election. During that call, they discussed Ukraine, and Macron told Trump that any negotiations must involve meaningful concessions from Russia, according to officials familiar with the conversation who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe details from the call.
Kyiv was grateful to Macron for organizing the discussion on Saturday, said a Ukrainian official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive meeting. The meeting was “grounded,” the person said.
“It’s important to make bold decisions and ensure real and just peace,” the official said.
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O’Grady reported from Sumy, Ukraine, and Vazquez from Washington. Ellen Francis in Paris and Karen DeYoung in Washington contributed to this report.