At meeting with Macron - Trump is optimistic - Ukraine war could soon end

Trump hopes for a quick end to the war in Ukraine and an agreement with Russia. Macron stresses that peace must not come at the expense of Ukrainian sovereignty.

On Monday, US President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron met to discuss the war in Ukraine. Trump expressed confidence that the conflict could soon be ended. He said Russian President Vladimir Putin was ready to accept peacekeepers from Europe in Ukraine, AP reports. Trump also hinted that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy could soon travel to the US to sign an agreement that would give the US access to important raw materials in Ukraine.

Macron stressed that European countries must do more for defense and warned that a peace deal should not come at the expense of Ukrainian sovereignty. "This peace must not mean a surrender of Ukraine," Macron said. A French official said Trump had no objection to U.S. security guarantees, but these still need to be clarified. Trump left open whether the U.S. would be part of those security guarantees, saying only that Europe would ensure that "nothing happens."

The talks between Trump and Macron took place against the backdrop of tensions between the US and its European allies at the United Nations. The US abstained on a resolution that called Russia an aggressor, which led to disagreements. Macron stressed the importance of remaining strong with Russia: "How can you be credible with China if you are weak with Putin?" According to AP, Trump wants Russia to be readmitted to the Group of Seven leading industrial nations (G7).