European troops in Ukraine, peace talks, NATO... What to remember from the press conference between Emmanuel Macron and Donald Trump
The American and French presidents met on Monday, the third anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
A very important face-off. While Donald Trump continues his about-face on the Ukrainian issue, multiplying concessions to Vladimir Putin , marginalizing Kiev and Volodymyr Zelensky , the press conference between the American president and Emmanuel Macron was particularly anticipated, this Monday. At the White House, the President of the Republic tried to make his counterpart - and the journalists - understand the position of the Europeans, who reaffirm the territorial integrity of Ukraine, three years to the day after the start of the Russian invasion. And this, while in parallel, Washington and the European Union have engaged in a standoff at the UN around two competing resolutions on the ongoing war.
Le Figaro offers you the summary and the important points of this press conference.
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"We are working on the need to end the war," began Donald Trump, referring to a "horrible" conflict. "This would never have happened if I were president at the time," assured the president, referring to the thousands of human losses in this war, and the many cities destroyed. "We are here to restore peace," he added, reporting on the progress in discussions with Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky. "They want to end the war. Our goal is to reach a ceasefire as quickly as possible and to end the war permanently," argued Donald Trump. According to him, the risk of a "Third World War" exists if the talks are not conclusive. "I call for peace and unity," he hammered home. A peace "in the interest of Russia."
In a meeting prior to this press conference, Donald Trump said that he hoped the war in Ukraine would end "within a few weeks."
Donald Trump firmly recalled the "300 billion dollars" of aid in the form of donations and weapons from the United States to Ukraine, accusing the EU of having made mostly "loans" to Kiev. Hence the importance, according to the American president, of reaching an agreement on critical metals.
The US president said the deal with Ukraine over its minerals was "very close." The Ukrainian government revealed earlier in the day that negotiations on the deal, which would give Washington access to Ukrainian minerals in exchange for protection and which has been at the heart of tensions between the two countries, were in the "final stages."
After a reminder of Franco-American friendship in history, Emmanuel Macron reported "substantial progress" during his discussions with Donald Trump. "Our discussions were extremely fruitful, I am convinced that there is a way forward," said the president, calling for a "quick deal, but not a fragile agreement."
During a video conference with G7 leaders, they called for a "lasting peace," Emmanuel Macron said. "We helped and we were right to help Ukraine," the head of state recalled in response to his counterpart, referring to the 138 billion in European aid to Kiev. "No one wants to live in a world where the law of the strongest can prevail," he hammered home.
Emmanuel Macron reminded his American counterpart that "peace cannot mean the capitulation of Ukraine , cannot be a ceasefire without guarantees" , but "must provide the conditions for sovereignty" for which Kiev will lead the negotiation.
The President of the Republic was keen to recall Europe's "commitment" to "do more" for its "security" and its "defense", this "burden" that the United States has been carrying "for several years" .
"There is no ceasefire without a security guarantee," he said. One of his security guarantees could be the sending of European troops to verify that "peace is respected," the president declared to Donald Trump. "Totally peaceful" forces that will nevertheless require "American support," according to Emmanuel Macron. An initiative that Vladimir Putin "will accept," the American president had assured a few hours earlier.
"Europeans must do more for the security of Europe," stressed Emmanuel Macron, in reference to Donald Trump's desire for NATO members to increase their defense budget.
Emmanuel Macron reiterated that Ukraine "must be involved" in the talks to end the war, while Donald Trump began discussions with Vladimir Putin without Volodymyr Zelensky. The latter could come to the White House "this week or the next," the American president said. "I welcome this initiative," Emmanuel Macron commented.
While the Europeans have stressed their commitment to Ukraine's territorial integrity - as has the UN - Donald Trump said in discussions prior to the press conference that there was no guarantee that Kiev would retain its territories, adding that it was "difficult" to recover lost territory. "We'll see," he dismissed.
While he hopes for a rapid resolution of the conflict, Donald Trump has said that a meeting on May 9 in Moscow with Vladimir Putin, on the day of the commemorations of the victory against Nazism in Russia , would be "perhaps a little too early."
lefigaro
