Macron meets Trump: what this dialogue hides amid crisis in US-European relations - BBC
Kyiv • UNN
During his visit to the United States, Macron did not argue with Trump's idea of resuming a dialogue with Putin, mentioned the importance of Ukraine's interests, but did not receive any commitments of support from the United States. Changes in global politics create a need for France to work on a strategy for an autonomous Europe
There is no talk of restoring the close relations that Europe and the US had after the end of World War II, so the French representative will obviously have to work on the idea of a more autonomous Europe.
This is reported by BBC and UNN.
Against the backdrop of the growing influence of far-right nationalist parties in Europe, some of which are sceptical about supporting Ukraine's fight against Russian aggression, as well as the trends in views and statements currently being made by the US administration regarding Russia's position, representatives of liberal democracy in Europe need to adapt and formulate an action plan to preserve their own security.
Apparently French President Emmanuel Macron made his visit to the United States with the understanding that "mere words or criticism of Trump" are less meaningful than an attempt to establish a dialogue.
Today, French President Emmanuel Macron joined me in the Oval Office to address the G7 Summit. The meeting was convened by Canadian Governor Justin Trudeau, the current chairman of the G7, to mark the third anniversary of the Russia-Ukraine war - which would never have started if I had been president
During the Oval Office discussion, the French position, which was represented by the president, was that "both countries want peace," Macron gently corrected one of Trump's statements about European support for Ukraine; the French leader also agreed that "Europe must take more responsibility for its own security," the BBC writes.
Perhaps the key point of the meeting: Macron made an important concession - "Trump was right to restore some kind of relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin." But this sharply contradicts the views of London, Paris, and Berlin, which have so far pursued a policy of isolating the Kremlin dictator and imposing sanctions on Russian industrial enterprises and individuals, the newspaper recalls.
"There is a good reason for President Trump to work with President Putin again," Macron said.
But it is important to add what the French leader emphasized:
Peace should not mean surrender of Ukraine
Macron noted that European countries such as France and the United Kingdom would want to play a leading role in ensuring Ukraine's security after the ceasefire, if possible in 2025. The French president emphasized the importance of having a U.S. defense mechanism.
According to the BBC, despite his efforts, Macron has received neither commitments to support the United States nor even a "drop" of criticism of the Russian president.
There are no prerequisites for restoring the close relations that Europe and the United States had after the end of World War II. European leaders, including the French president, should continue to work on the idea of a more strategically autonomous Europe and support the unification of European defense forces.