France confirms Macron's visit to US: Message prepared for Trump
Photo: French President Emmanuel Macron (Getty Images)
French President Emmanuel Macron will travel to the United States next week to discuss the war in Ukraine, Le Figaro reports.
French Minister Delegate for European Affairs Benjamin Haddad confirmed that Macron will visit Washington, aligning with US President Donald Trump’s recent statement that he would meet Macron “very soon, possibly on Monday.”
According to Haddad, Macron’s visit will focus on Ukraine.
“He is going to convey the voice of Europeans and to make it clear that Ukraine’s future cannot be decided without them,” Haddad stated.
The French Minister Delegate warned that a "failed ceasefire would be a victory" for Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Haddad also emphasized that Europe has several strategic advantages to leverage in negotiations, particularly its stronger support for Ukraine compared to the US. He highlighted "economic pressure on Russia" and the "ability to provide security guarantees" as key European tools.
Commenting on Trump’s criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Haddad stressed that “the only dictator in this war is Putin, while Zelenskyy is a hero.”
Growing tensions between the US and Europe
Last week at the Munich Security Conference, US Special Envoy Keith Kellogg sparked outrage among EU nations by stating that the USA doesn’t see Europe physically at the negotiating table on Ukraine.
In response, Macron called for an emergency summit of European leaders and met with his counterparts from the EU, Canada, Iceland, and Norway.
Today, February 20, the French President also gathered France’s political leaders to discuss Ukraine and European security.
