President-elect Donald Trump held a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at The Elysee Presidential Palace in Paris on Saturday evening.
Macron was observed giving a thumbs-up as Trump and Zelenskyy stood beside him for a photo at the presidential palace.
Though Macron had initially intended to meet with Zelenskyy, his office announced that he suggested the trilateral meeting just before Trump’s arrival.
This meeting occurs as Trump has indicated a desire to swiftly negotiate a resolution to the ongoing Russia–Ukraine conflict, although there are still uncertainties about how he plans to put an end to the hostilities.
If a cease-fire merely solidifies the fronts as they are, Russia could keep a substantial portion of Ukraine’s territory it controlled before the war.
Zelenskyy has indicated a willingness to discuss a cease-fire if NATO extends its alliance to encompass areas of Ukraine that are not currently under Russian control.
In a November 29 interview, the Ukrainian president stated, “To halt the active phase of the war, we need to place the territory of Ukraine that we control under the NATO umbrella.”
Zelenskyy also mentioned that Ukraine might eventually recover the territory occupied by Russia through some form of diplomatic negotiations.
It remains unclear whether Trump will consider Zelenskyy’s proposals as a basis for discussions on a cease-fire.
To foster trust with the new U.S. administration, Zelenskyy’s senior aide Andriy Yermak engaged with key members of Trump’s team during a two-day visit earlier this week.
