United States President Donald Trump welcomed French President Emmanuel Macron to the White House on Monday for discussions on Ukraine, European security and trade.
Macron, who has built a cordial rapport with Trump, was the first European leader to visit him since the beginning of his second term on January 20. The French leader’s visit came at a time of growing public tensions between Europe and the US, especially over the continent’s security and over the fate of Ukraine in its war against Russia.
Here are some key takeaways from the Trump-Macron talks.
Despite friendship, Macron not afraid to challenge Trump
Trump and Macron developed a warm relationship during Trump’s first term, often making headlines for their exuberant displays of affection, including long handshakes, embraces and back-slapping.
The leaders maintained this friendly tone on Monday, paying compliments to each other and gripping hands even while disagreeing on several points.
“President Macron is a very special man in my book,” said Trump in the Oval Office.
Despite the warm exchange, Macron did not shy away from challenging Trump on key issues such as the Ukraine war and trade policy during a news conference.
Macron stated that ending the war in Ukraine – something Trump has said may require Ukraine to cede territory – should not come at the cost of a weak agreement or Ukraine’s “surrender”.
“This peace must allow for Ukrainian sovereignty and allow Ukraine to negotiate with other stakeholders,” Macron said.
The French leader also made the rare move of cutting Trump off mid-sentence, as the US president falsely claimed that Europe was simply loaning Ukraine money for its war effort, expecting it to be repaid.
“No, in fact, to be frank,” said Macron, placing a hand on Trump’s arm to interrupt him, “we paid 60 percent of the total effort and it was – like the US – loans, guarantees, grants.”
Trump, flashing a smile, responded: “If you believe that, it’s ok with me.”
Macron also addressed the tricky issue of trade between the US and the European Union, which Trump has threatened to levy huge tariffs against. Macron called for “fair competition” that could lead to more investment.
“We want to have more prosperity on both sides of the Atlantic,” said Macron. “We have a shared agenda in that regard.”
Macron hammered home his message that the US should cooperate, not antagonise, Europe economically during a Fox News interview, saying the US “cannot have a trade war with China and Europe at the same time”.
British broadcaster Piers Morgan, a longtime friend of Trump, said Macron showed he is one of the most skilled leaders in dealing with the US president.
“No world leader handles Trump as well as Macron. Friendly but firm, respectful but not afraid to stand up to him when he thinks he’s wrong. And Trump respects him for it,” Morgan wrote in a post on X.
No world leader handles Trump as well as Macron. Friendly but firm, respectful but not afraid to stand up to him when he thinks he’s wrong. And Trump respects him for it. https://t.co/88GlEap9Ib
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) February 24, 2025
Macron agrees Europe should step up on security
While pressing Trump on the need for any peace deal to be fair to Ukraine, Macron did acknowledge Trump’s longstanding concerns about the US shouldering an outsized share of European security, including with regard to Ukraine.
Macron said European countries “need to do more… to more fairly share the security burden that your country has been carrying for so many years”.
The two leaders agreed that a European peacekeeping force could be sent to Ukraine as part of any potential peace deal, a condition Trump said Putin would also accept.
“They would not be along the front lines. They would not be part of any conflict. They would be there to ensure that the peace is respected,” Macron said of the force.
However, Macron said it was vital for the US to offer “backup” for such a coalition.
Trump committed to Ukraine mineral deal
As part of his bid to recoup US aid to Ukraine, Trump has been pressuring Ukraine to cede control of hundreds of billions of dollars’ worth of its rare minerals – a deal that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has so far resisted.
Speaking alongside Macron, Trump stated that the US is “getting very close” to finalising such an agreement, insisting it would ultimately “get its money back” over time.
Macron appeared to offer cautious support for the arrangement, noting that he anticipated Trump would soon “sign a deal on rare earth minerals” and that France was pleased to see “this very strong American involvement”.
Anatol Lieven, the director of the Eurasia programme at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, told Al Jazeera he believes the US demand for Ukraine’s rare minerals is “predatory”.
“Trump is asking for much more than America gave,” Lieven said of the US assistance. “And it was not a loan. It was a gift, which was seen to be in America’s own security interest. So this approach is wholly illegitimate.
“That said, perhaps something can be negotiated, which is more reasonable,” he added.
Differing perspectives on Russia’s Putin
The Trump-Macron meeting highlighted the two leaders’ divergent takes on Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, who Trump has sought rapprochement with and whom he hopes to meet.
When a reporter asked Trump if he views Putin as a “dictator” in the same way he labelled Ukraine’s Zelenskyy last week, Trump responded: “ I don’t use those words lightly. I think that we’re going to see how it all works out. Let’s see what happens.”
Macron, on the other hand, clearly pinned Russia as “the aggressor” in the ongoing war and claimed that “Putin violated the peace.” Trump had last week accused Ukraine of starting the war.
