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Trump, Macron meet amid tensions over ukraine war
French President Emmanuel Macron and US President Donald Trump met to discuss the Ukraine war, with Macron emphasizing the need for security guarantees and Trump expressing openness to a European peacekeeping force.
PARIS, PARIS, FRANCE 07.14.2017 Photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Dominique Pineiro Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
French President Emmanuel Macron and US President Donald Trump met on Monday to discuss the ongoing war in Ukraine, with Macron emphasizing the need for security guarantees to ensure Moscow keeps its promises. Macron stressed that any agreement must be "checked and verified," warning of Russia's poor track record in keeping its international commitments.
Despite their differences, both leaders expressed their desire for peace in Ukraine. "We want peace. He wants peace," Macron said of Trump. "We want peace, peace swiftly, but we don't want an agreement that is weak." Trump, meanwhile, portrayed himself as a master negotiator, saying “I've spoken to President Putin, and my people are dealing with him constantly... they want to do something.”
The meeting came amid tensions between the US and Europe over the Ukraine war. A US-led resolution that did not call Russia the aggressor in the war passed in the UN Security Council with support from Moscow and without the backing of the US' European allies.
Macron also corrected Trump on the nature of European support for Ukraine, saying that Europe had paid 60% of the total effort, rather than loaning money to Ukraine. Trump smiled ruefully in response.
Despite their differences, the two leaders did find common ground. Trump expressed openness to a European peacekeeping force in Ukraine, saying he had discussed the idea with Putin and that the Russian president was also open to it. Macron described Europeans as acting as an "assurance force" in Ukraine, with Americans acting “in solidarity.”
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The meeting was part of a broader effort by Macron to press Europe and Ukraine's case with Trump. The two leaders had already spent over two hours together for a virtual meeting of the Group of 7 earlier in the day.
Macron's efforts come ahead of a meeting between Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday, where Starmer is expected to brief Trump on a plan to deploy up to 30,000 European peacekeeping troops to Ukraine.
