Feb. 24 (UPI) — President Donald Trump on Monday met with French President Emmanuel Macron, the first European leader to visit the White House since the U.S. president returned to office Jan. 20.
Trump and Macron conducted a bilateral meeting and are planning a news conference Monday afternoon on the third anniversary of Russian’s invasion of Ukraine.
The two leaders gave a message of support to Pope Francis, who is fighting double pneumonia. Reporters were onhand.
Macron, during a question and answer on his social media last week, said he would tell Trump: “You can’t be weak in the face of President [Vldamir] Putin. It’s not you, it’s not your trademark, it’s not in your interest. How can you then be credible in the face of China if you’re weak in the face of Putin?”
Earlier the two leaders participated in a Group of Seven leadership call.
Trump, in a post on Truth Social after the G7 meeting, said participants “expressed their goal of seeing the war end.”
He added: “I emphasized the importance of the vital ‘Critical Minerals and Rare-Earths Deal’ between the United States and Ukraine, which we hope will be signed very soon! This deal, which is an ‘Economic Partnership,’ will ensure the American people recoup the Tens of Billions of Dollars and Military Equipment sent to Ukraine, while also helping Ukraine’s economy grow as this Brutal and Savage War comes to an end.”
Trump has demanded a $500 billion share of Ukraine’s deposits.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has opposed those demands and said he won’t sign an agreement that “ten generations of Ukrainians” would need to pay back.
Before the meeting between the two presidents, Trump said: “Just so you understand, Europe is loaning the money to Ukraine. They’re getting their money back.”
Macron responded: “No, in fact, to be frank, we paid. We paid 60% of the total effort. It was like the U.S.: loans, guarantees, grants,” he said. “We have $230 billion in frozen assets in Europe, Russian assets. But this is not collateral of a loan because it is not our belonging. So they are frozen.”
Trump then said: “If you believe that, it’s OK with me. They get their money back, and we don’t. But now we do.”
The Trump administration began negotiations to end the war without Ukraine’s participation.
“I am in serious discussions with President Vladimir Putin of Russia concerning the ending of the War, and also major Economic Development transactions which will take place between the United States and Russia,” Trump posted. “Talks are proceeding very well!”
Macron and other European leaders, who convened an emergency meeting last week in Paris, expressed concern they weren’t involved in the talks in Saudi Arabia.
Trump is also set to meet with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at the White House later this week.
Britain and France are drawing up plans for a European “reassurance force,” which could include up to 30,000 troops to be deployed in Ukraine if there is a peace deal.
Starmer has warned that the force would need a U.S. “backstop,” which could potentially include security guarantees, intelligence cooperation, air support and heavy lift transport.
There have been tensions between Trump and Zelensky.
Trump last week called Zelensky a “dictator” and falsely blamed Ukraine for Russia’s ongoing assault. Trump said Ukraine has “no cards” to play as negotiations unfold.
In Kyiv, Ukraine, more than a dozen leaders participated in commemorative events. They included European leaders and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Trudeau pledged to give 25 light-armored vehicles to Ukraine and to provide the country with the first payment of the $5 billion in funds from seized Russian assets.
The United States didn’t send a top official to Kyiv for the events.