Macron and Trump: What’s Behind the Scenes of the Ukraine Talks
20 March 11:02
While US President Donald Trump’s geopolitical statements are causing concern among allies, this situation has given French President Emmanuel Macron the opportunity to once again take the lead in global politics. Macron’s efforts could lead to a conflict with Trump, who insists on a quick ceasefire, which would require European countries to stop supplying weapons to Ukraine. This is reported by Bloomberg, "Komersant Ukrainian" informs
Macron returns to the forefront of world politics
After domestic political difficulties due to the loss of his parliamentary majority in 2024, Emmanuel Macron is re-entering the international arena. Bloomberg notes that Trump’s geopolitical statements have created an opportunity for the French leader to strengthen Europe’s position:
“While U.S. President Donald Trump is causing concern among allies, the situation has given Macron a chance to regain influence,” the newspaper writes.
On the eve of the EU summit in Brussels, Macron is actively consolidating European countries to support Ukraine, which inevitably puts him on the path of conflict with Trump.
Trump vs Putin: ceasefire at the expense of Ukraine
According to Bloomberg, Trump sees the end of the war as a chance to establish economic and political ties with Russia. During a telephone conversation with Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, the American president discussed stopping the supply of Western weapons to Ukraine:
“Trump sees the cessation of hostilities as a means to unlock new cooperation with Russia,” the newspaper notes.
Putin, in turn, demands a complete cessation of military aid to Kyiv, which contradicts Macron’s plans to increase support for Ukraine.
Europe against Putin’s conditions
European leaders are not ready to give in to the Kremlin. A senior official from a major EU country said:
“European countries cannot fulfill Putin’s conditions.”
French government spokeswoman Sophie Primas called such a demand “unrealistic.” Macron is actively seeking a compromise, negotiating with Trump and Zelenskyy.
Macron unites allies
To counter the pressure, the French president gathered defense ministers and military leaders from more than 30 countries, as well as key European leaders. Together with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, he is developing a plan to support Ukraine after a possible truce:
“The initiative calls for European resources, as well as funding and equipment from the Commonwealth and Asia, to bolster Ukraine’s defense,” Bloomberg writes.
Political scientist Melody Mock-Gruet of Sciences Po noted:
“Global challenges have given Macron a new lease on life.”
The initiative, promoted by France and the United Kingdom, involves the use of European military resources, as well as funding and military equipment from the Commonwealth and Asian partners to strengthen Ukraine’s defense. Although not all of Kyiv’s allies have supported this idea, it is gaining more and more support among European governments.
At the same time, European countries are trying to radically change their military capabilities to become a credible deterrent to future Russian aggression independent of the United States. European allies fear that an unfair and unstable peace deal could be imposed on Ukraine, giving Putin a chance to rebuild his army for another attack.
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Macron’s strategy: convince Trump
Having had long-standing contacts with Trump since his first term, Macron uses personal connections to influence the American leader. During the EU summit, he discussed security with him for more than 30 minutes:
“Macron emphasized the importance of European unity,” Bloomberg reports.
According to Macron, Trump values personal connections. The French leader told his aides that although the White House chief is “not a very good listener,” if you find the right argument, you can get his attention, the agency’s interlocutors said.
According to Bloomberg, while European leaders are trying their best to track the thinking of the US presidential administration, Macron’s longstanding relationship with Trump gives the French leader an important role – he has become a kind of reference point in his interaction with his colleague.
Macron’s domestic rating
French voters have welcomed Emmanuel Macron’s return to the center of international attention, which has helped his rating rise from its lowest point.
According to an Ifop poll conducted for Ouest-France, Macron’s popularity reached 31% in March 2025, which is seven points higher than in February. This figure is close to the level the president had before the parliamentary elections last year.
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Confrontation with the United States
However, Macron’s attempts to strengthen his relationship with the White House are facing serious obstacles. A French lawmaker from the center-left opposition said this month that the United States should return the Statue of Liberty because the country no longer shares its values.
White House press secretary Caroline Leavitt responded that the French should be grateful to the United States for not speaking German, referring to the liberation of France during World War II.
In terms of hard power, the US has already once cut off arms and military intelligence supplies to Kyiv after a spat between Trump and Zelenskiy in the Oval Office last month.
In any context, deploying European troops to Ukraine could carry serious risks, one European official said, but even more so if the move helped Zelenskiy resist U.S. pressure to reach a deal with Putin.
Financial challenges
In addition to political challenges, the question of financing French initiatives to support Kyiv remains open.
Macron has ruled out raising taxes, and Finance Minister Eric Lombard has emphasized that France cannot increase its public debt.
On Thursday, Lombard will meet with representatives of the financial sector to discuss opportunities to attract investment in the defense sector.
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As a reminder, at the Paris summit on February 18, which was held at the initiative of French President Emmanuel Macron, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said she was “open to discussing many different things,” including the deployment of troops to Ukraine.
What is known about peacekeepers for Ukraine
on February 18, during an emergency summit of leaders in Paris, French President Macron proposed deploying European peacekeeping forces behind the future demarcation line, rather than directly on it.
Earlier, Italy, the United Kingdom, Latvia, Germany, Canada, and Australia have all expressed their readiness to send peacekeeping units to Ukraine. Romania offered to become a transit point for peacekeeping troops. Poland, on the other hand, immediately announced that it had no plans to send troops.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized that the deployment of European partners’ troops in Ukraine could be one of the most effective means of putting pressure on Russia to achieve peace. At the same time, he noted that a peacekeeping mission should not replace Ukraine’s membership in NATO.
It is known that British Prime Minister Keir Starmer plans to present a peacekeeping plan to US President Donald Trump, which provides for the deployment of 30,000 European troops in Ukraine.
