The French president welcomed the pair to Paris on Saturday with typical presidential dignity, rekindling a relationship forged during Trump’s first term after a four-year hiatus.
French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed President Donald Trump to Paris on Saturday with all the presidential dignity he could muster, holding an impromptu meeting with Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskiy, a day full of pomp and attention to pressing global issues. were mixed.
Mr. Trump, the former and future American president, said that upon arriving at the Elysee Palace for a face-to-face meeting with Mr. Macron (which soon included Mr. Zelenskiy), the two were “a little crazy.” “We’re going to talk about the world,” he said.
Trump’s visit to France, part of global celebrations to mark the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral five years after a devastating fire, comes after Macron and other European leaders won Trump’s support and said This was done in the midst of an attempt to persuade Ukraine to maintain support for its defense. Russian invasion. Macron’s office said the issue would be discussed as well as the war in the Middle East.
When Trump arrived at the French presidential palace, Macron went out of his way to pat him on the back and shake his hand multiple times, trying to create an image of a close relationship. President Trump said it was a “great honor” and spoke of the “great relationship” they have had thus far. A grand red carpet was rolled out, just as the French welcome the sitting American president.
Before they went inside, President Trump said, “Certainly the world seems a little crazy right now, and we’re going to talk about it.”
Zelensky arrived at the palace about 45 minutes after Trump.
Mr Macron is scheduled to meet with Mr Zelensky, and the French presidential palace said the tripartite meeting had been proposed by Mr Macron and arranged shortly before Mr Trump’s arrival. President Trump has promised to end the war in Ukraine quickly but has not said how, raising concerns in Kiev about what terms will be offered in future negotiations.
Macron has had an up-and-down relationship with Trump, but has focused on nurturing the relationship since the Republican defeated Democrat Kamala Harris last month. But Macron’s office nevertheless downplayed the significance of the invitation, saying other politicians not currently in government had been invited as well.
Macron’s office said Trump was invited as the next president of a “friendly country”, adding: “This is by no means an exception. We have done this before.”
But the red carpet treatment showed how keen Macron and other European leaders are to win Trump’s support and appease him even before he takes office.
Trump is known for enjoying pomp and circumstance. One of his first visits as president was to Paris, where President Macron was chosen as the guest of honor at Bastille Day events in Paris. President Trump later said he wanted to repeat the large-scale military parade in the United States.
Democratic President Joe Biden has also been invited, but does not plan to attend. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said First Lady Jill Biden would represent the United States, citing scheduling constraints.
The palace said the meeting with the French president will take place before the event at Notre Dame Cathedral, as well as a social gathering with Prince William, where he is also scheduled to meet Jill Biden.
In an effort to build trust with the incoming US administration, Mr Zelensky’s aide Andrii Yermak met with key members of Mr Trump’s team on a two-day trip earlier this week. A senior Ukrainian official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly, said the talks were productive but declined to provide details.
Relations between France and the United States during President Trump’s first term were initially warm enough, but became increasingly strained over time.
Macron was the guest of honor at Trump’s first state dinner, and Trump has visited France several times. But relations soured after President Macron questioned the need for NATO and criticized President Trump for questioning U.S. commitment to the mutual defense pact.
During the 2024 presidential campaign, Trump often mocked Macron by imitating his accent, saying that if France were to impose taxes on American companies, he would impose heavy tariffs on bottles of wine and champagne shipped to the United States. threatened to impose charges.
But Macron was one of the first world leaders to congratulate Trump last month after the election.
President Trump, who accepted the invitation to Paris, said that Macron “did a great job of restoring Notre Dame Cathedral to its full level of glory. He did an even greater job. It’s very special to everyone.” It will be a great day!” A fire in 2019 nearly destroyed the 861-year-old landmark.
More than 20 French government security officials were working with the Secret Service to ensure Trump’s safety, according to the French National Police. A special French police van protected Trump’s motorcade from drones.
Tighter-than-usual security was in place outside the U.S. embassy and other venues near Paris, where dozens of international dignitaries were scheduled to attend the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral.
In 2019, when Trump was president, Notre Dame Cathedral caught fire, collapsing its spire and threatening to destroy one of the world’s greatest architectural treasures, known for its mesmerizing stained glass.
“It’s truly horrifying to see the huge fire at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris,” he wrote on Twitter at the time, sending advice to the city of Paris.
“Maybe we can use flying water trucks to extinguish the fire. We need to act fast!” he wrote.
French authorities appeared to react soon after, saying that “all means” were being used to put out the fire, “with the exception of hydrogen bombing aircraft, which, if used, could lead to the collapse of the entire structure of the cathedral.” pointed out.
Last weekend, President Trump announced his intention to nominate real estate developer Charles Kushner, the father of his son-in-law Jared Kushner, as ambassador to France. Predecessors for this prestigious role include Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson.
