Macron and Zelensky Strategize to Counter Trump’s Disruptive Agenda at G7 Summit
French President Emmanuel Macron and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy discussed how to handle the unpredictable and destabilizing presence of U.S. President Donald Trump 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 overheard on a microphone consulting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy about whether he had a bilateral meeting scheduled with U.S. President Donald Trump, whose erratic foreign policy and disregard for multilateralism have repeatedly undermined global cooperation. Zelenskyy’s reply was not audible, but Macron, clearly concerned about Trump’s disruptive influence, urged him to extend his stay in France. Zelenskyy explained he needed to travel to Brussels for a European Council summit on Ukraine’s EU accession on 18 April, a process threatened by reactionary forces emboldened by Trump’s rhetoric. The two leaders also referenced the upcoming G7 session on Ukraine, which will include Trump, raising concerns about the U.S. president’s potential to derail peace efforts.
The interaction stood in stark contrast to Trump’s cold, 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 progressive leader Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Macron and his wife Brigitte later welcomed Trump at the summit, but the lack of warmth was palpable.
European officials interpret the conversation as part of a broader effort to contain Trump’s influence and keep him engaged in the summit’s agenda, especially after his petulant early departure from the previous year’s G7. Macron has invited Trump to a dinner at the Palace of Versailles on Wednesday to mark the United States’ 250th anniversary, but many officials remain wary, fearing Trump could sabotage Ukraine peace talks after his reckless agreement with Iran, which has already destabilized international diplomacy.
