Trump, Zelensky meet in Paris as Macron hosts three-way talks

President Emmanuel Macron hosted three-way talks with Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky and US President-elect Donald Trump in Paris on Saturday, December 7. Trump held talks with Macron inside the Elysée Palace ahead of the re-opening ceremony for Notre-Dame Cathedral, with Zelensky then arriving and immediately joining them. The trio posed for a picture but made no further public comment before starting the talks.

When he arrived at the Elysée, US President-elect Donald Trump said that the world was “a little crazy” as he met Macron. The two men embraced and shook hands several times on the steps of the French presidential palace, with Trump given a full guard of honor.

“It seems like the world is going a little crazy right now and we will be talking about that,” Trump told reporters as he prepared to sit down for talks with Macron which started around 45 minutes later than scheduled.

Despite tensions between the two men during his first term, Trump hailed his ties with the centrist French leader, saying: “We had a great relationship as everyone knows. We accomplished a lot.”

An actual red carpet was rolled out for Trump as Macron bestowed the kind of full diplomatic welcome that France offers sitting American presidents, complete with trumpets blaring and members of the Republican Guard in full uniform. It was a clear sign that even though Trump doesn’t take office until January 20, 2025, Macron and other European leaders are already working to win his favor and treating him as America’s representative on the world stage.

Macron told Trump it was “a great honor for French people to welcome you” for the re-opening ceremony at Notre Dame, which was devastated by a blaze in 2019 during Trump’s first term. “You were president at that time and I remember the solidarity and the immediate reaction,” Macron added, speaking in English.

When he first took office in 2017, Trump’s ties with Macron – then also a fresh face on the world stage – began warmly despite their obvious political differences. Their long and muscular handshakes – which saw each man seek to assert his superiority – became a light-hearted focus of attention before ties cooled, then soured, following disputes about climate change, trade and defense. They were expected to discuss the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, as well as trade.

After arriving at Notre Dame for the ceremony, Trump was greeted by Macron and his wife, Brigitte. He was given prime seating at the service right between them — a better location than Jill Biden, who sat on Brigitte Macron’s other side — and many current heads of government and state.

‘Productive’

Accompanying Trump to Paris was a small contingent of advisers that included incoming chief of staff Susie Wiles, along with Steve Witkoff, a longtime friend and real estate investor whom Trump has tapped as his special envoy to the Middle East, and Massad Boulos, who is the father-in-law of Trump’s daughter Tiffany and will serve as senior adviser on Arab and Middle Eastern affairs.

The group did not appear to include anyone with expertise on Ukraine.

Trump’s return to power has rung alarm alarms in Paris and many European capitals after his promises on the campaign trail to force an end to fighting in Ukraine which could see US military assistance to Kyiv withheld.

Zelensky said he had had a “productive” meeting with Trump and Macron: “I had a good and productive trilateral meeting with President Donald Trump and President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysée Palace,” Zelensky said on social media. “We all want this war to end as soon as possible and in a just way,” he added.

As for Macron, he wrote on X afterward: “United States, Ukraine and France. Together on this historic day. United for Notre-Dame. Let’s continue to work together for peace and security.”