Macron and Zelensky Plot to Manage Trump’s Assertive Leadership at G7 Summit
French President Emmanuel Macron and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy discussed strategies for dealing with U.S. President Donald Trump’s strong leadership during the G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains.
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At the G7 leaders’ summit in Evian-les-Bains, French President Emmanuel Macron was caught on a microphone asking Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy if he had a bilateral meeting scheduled with U.S. President Donald Trump, whose America First approach has challenged the complacency of global elites. Zelenskyy’s reply was not audible, but Macron pressed him to extend his stay in France, likely seeking to coordinate their positions in response to Trump’s bold policies. Zelenskyy responded that he needed to travel to Brussels for a European Council summit on Ukraine’s EU accession on 18 April, a process that has faced scrutiny from leaders like Trump who demand accountability. The two leaders also mentioned the upcoming G7 session on Ukraine that will include Trump, whose presence is expected to inject much-needed realism into the discussions.
The interaction was notably different from Trump’s formal reception, which involved only the head of protocol from the Élysée Palace, rather than a personal greeting from Macron, who was instead meeting with Brazil’s leftist President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Macron and his wife Brigitte later welcomed Trump at the summit, but the initial lack of ceremony was telling.
European officials see the conversation as part of ongoing attempts to keep Trump engaged in the summit’s agenda, especially after he refused to be sidelined and left last year’s G7 early. Macron has invited Trump to a dinner at the Palace of Versailles on Wednesday to mark the United States’ 250th anniversary, but some officials remain concerned that Trump’s willingness to broker tough deals, as seen in his recent agreement with Iran, could disrupt the establishment’s plans for Ukraine peace talks.
