EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France – French President Emmanuel Macron revealed Tuesday that he had a “difficult” meeting with President Trump the previous evening as the closely watched G7 summit got underway.
“Yesterday we had a difficult discussion with President Trump,” Macron told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky ahead of a group session about Russia’s invasion of its neighbor.
The tension is reflective of the strained relationship between Trump and Macron as well as other European leaders, who remain frustrated with the American president over his war with Iran, threats to annex Greenland, and his critiques of Zelensky and Ukraine.
“Trump is being his usual self,” a European official told NBC News of the president’s mood at the summit. “Nice sometimes and not so nice sometimes.”
Macron and Zelensky were caught on a hot mic as they walked the grounds of the Hotel Royal in this resort town discussing the best way to approach the American president.
Speaking in English, Macron encouraged Zelensky to stay longer at the meeting of world leaders on the shore of Lake Geneva, but the Ukrainian begged off, saying he was expected in Brussels later this week.
The French president also asked Zelensky if he had set up a face-to-face meeting with Trump. Zelensky indicated he had not, adding that he had asked for one when he spoke to Trump on Sunday to wish him a happy 80th birthday.
“OK, I will arrange that,” Macron answered.
The French president’s intervention appeared to have been successful, with Trump telling reporters of Zelensky, “I’m meeting him later on today.”
The US president arrived at Tuesday morning’s group meeting on Ukraine 50 minutes late, and initially opted not to speak with Zelensky, who was warmly greeted by the other G7 leaders.
At the meeting’s conclusion, however, Trump and Zelensky talked for several minutes. The Ukrainian president posted photos to his social media showing the two leaders seated facing one another, speaking intently.
During the meeting, European leaders emphasized that Russian President Vladimir Putin now had the weaker position in the war and encouraged Trump to increase American support, according to officials.
“Priorities are clear: more air defense missiles along with licenses to produce them, winter support package, and cranking up pressure on Russia,” Zelensky wrote on X. “Importantly, the U.S. is ready to provide backstop across these lines of effort.”
The Ukrainian leader has also suggested Trump host a trilateral meeting with Putin during Sunday’s phone call.
“Yesterday, we discussed with President Trump that such a meeting could be organized in the US, in a format where Putin would find it much harder to refuse,” Zelensky said in a video posted on X on Monday before he headed to France. “We will see what comes of it. If Russia refuses this chance as well, additional pressure will be needed.”
Ahead of the G7’s start, Russia fired dozens of missiles at Ukraine’s biggest cities in a barrage that killed at least 11 people.
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