French President Emmanuel Macron said he would meet his US counterpart Donald Trump in Washington on Monday and present “proposals for action” to confront the “Russian threat” in Europe and ensure peace in Ukraine.
As the two leaders meet on the third anniversary of the Ukraine war, Macron hopes to persuade Trump to include European leaders in talks between Russia and the United States. Trump sent shockwaves across Europe by announcing his willingness to resume diplomacy with Russian President Vladimir Putin and hold talks without the involvement of European nations or Kiev.
He has repeated Russian claims about Ukraine’s alleged responsibility for starting the war, raising concerns in Europe that he might agree to Moscow’s terms. Macron held two meetings with key leaders last week to try to coordinate a European response to Washington’s sudden policy shift. “Russia is an existential threat to Europeans,” he said at the time.
“You have a power that has accumulated excessive weapons… and continues to accumulate weapons,” Macron said before departing for Washington. “We don’t know where it will stop today. So we must all work to control it.” The European Union (EU) imposed a new round of sanctions on Monday aimed at deterring Russia’s war efforts.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov responded by accusing Europe of wanting to prolong the war, unlike the United States. “This belief of the Europeans is completely at odds with the mentality of seeking a compromise in Ukraine, which we are currently pursuing with the Americans,” Peskov told reporters after the sanctions were announced.
Macron’s goals
Macron will represent the whole of Europe during his visit, the president’s adviser said, after meetings with leaders from across the continent, including Moscow-friendly Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. “He is going to Washington with proposals for action that reflect the commonalities that have emerged from the talks,” the adviser said.
The adviser noted that Macron’s goal is to convince Trump to continue US support for Ukraine while respecting Ukraine’s sovereignty and ensuring that European interests are fully considered. Macron also tried to convince Trump that Russia represented an “existential threat” to Europe and that Putin would “not respect” the ceasefire, the adviser said.
Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who visited the White House on Thursday, coordinated the message ahead of the French president’s departure for the United States this weekend.
Deployment of military forces
Britain and France are also discussing the deployment of European troops in Ukraine to protect against future Russian aggression after a peace agreement. “The idea is to deploy soldiers in the second line, not in the front line. This could be linked to a multinational operation with non-European parties,” said a French source close to the discussions.
Macron and Starmer are expected to urge Trump to provide “solid security guarantees” for deployed troops. Although the Trump administration has ruled out sending US troops to the war effort, Europe hopes it can provide other support, such as logistics or intelligence.
European leaders will also pledge to increase their defense spending, as Trump seeks to reduce American commitments and avoid shouldering the burden of regional security. “It is in his interest to work with the Europeans because Europe has the growth potential, including the economic potential, to collaborate with the Americans,” Macron said.
