Volodymyr Zelensky and Donald Trump, 35 minute conversation with Emmanuel Macron, landlord in Paris. While the war between Ukraine and Russia has been going on for over 1000 days, the ceremony for the reopening of Notre Dame becomes the occasion for a meeting between the Ukrainian president and the newly elected president of the United States, who will take place in just over a month he will settle in the White House and play a central role on the international stage.
Trump, in the campaign that led to victory in the November 5 elections, said over and over again that he would favor a rapid agreement between Zelensky and Vladimir Putin. In a global context complicated by the crisis in the Middle East, with the powder keg Syria in the spotlight, the mission of the new American president appears extremely complex. Ukraine, after having systematically rejected hypotheses of territorial mutilations, could now accept a freezing of the conflict in exchange for security guarantees that are linked to an increasingly close relationship with NATO. On the other hand, Moscow does not conceive of Kiev’s entry into the Atlantic Alliance and considers the 4 Ukrainian regions annexed – Donetsk, Luhanks, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson – only partially controlled.
Zelensky’s optimism
The Paris mini-summit is an important starting point. “I had a good and productive trilateral meeting with President Donald Trump and President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysée,” says Zelensky, eager to establish direct relations with the new occupant of the White House. “President Trump is, as always, steadfast, I thank him and I also extend my gratitude to Emmanuel for organizing this important meeting,” he adds.
“We all want this war to end as soon as possible and in the right way. We talked about our people, the situation on the ground and a just peace. We agreed to continue working together and stay in touch. Peace through strength is possible,” he says again. “United States, Ukraine and France. Together on this historic day, gathered for Notre Dame, we continue our common efforts for peace and security”, comments Macron.
New US weapons (sent by Biden)
Trump, engaged in a series of face-to-face meetings in the Parisian evening, did not comment after the meeting with Zelensky. In the meantime, however, a new aid package for Kiev has arrived from the United States and the outgoing Joe Biden administration. The US Department of Defense announced a $988 million supply. The new aid includes drones, missiles for the Himars rocket launcher systems and increased support for the maintenance of crucial equipment, the Pentagon said in a statement.