WASHINGTON (NewsNation) — President-elect Donald Trump met Saturday with President Emmanuel Macron of France and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine ahead of the reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral, making a grand return to the world stage in his first foreign trip since securing the White House.
Macron welcomed Trump to the Élysée Palace with a display of pomp and circumstance that stood in stark contrast with the recent collapse of the French government after Prime Minister Michel Barnier and his Cabinet were ousted in a no-confidence vote in Parliament, leaving the nation without a functioning government.
“It’s an honor to be here,” Trump told reporters while standing alongside Macron. “We had really great success working together on defense and offense, too. And it certainly seems like the world is going a little crazy right now, and we’ll be talking about that.”
Approximately an hour after the start of Macron and Trump’s meeting, Zelenskyy arrived at the Élysée Palace, creating an impromptu trilateral meeting amid growing concerns over U.S. support for Ukraine in its war against Russia.
Trump — who has pledged to end the war quickly once he enters the White House — has also threatened to curtail further aid for Ukraine.
Zelenskyy said his first face-to-face encounter with Trump since the election was “good and productive,” adding they had agreed to continue working together.
“President Trump is, as always, resolute. I thank him,” Zelenskyy wrote in a post on X. “We all want this war to end as soon as possible and in a just way. We spoke about our people, the situation on the ground, and a just peace.”
On Saturday, a host of global figures attended Notre Dame’s reopening, nearly five years after a fire devoured the Gothic cathedral’s wooden roof and toppled its famed spire. Both Trump and First Lady Jill Biden, who was representing the Biden administration, were seated in the front row. President Joe Biden did not attend due to a “scheduling conflict,” the White House said.
Following the ceremony, Trump held a private sit-down with Prince William, heir to the British throne, at the UK Ambassador’s residence in Paris.
Kensington Palace revealed the “warm, friendly meeting lasted around 40 minutes. The pair discussed a range of global issues but focused on the importance of the UK/US special relationship.”
“President Trump also shared some warm and fond memories with The Prince about the Late Queen for which HRH was extremely grateful,” according to the palace.
