'Hello, Donald': Macron's early-morning call brings Trump into Ukraine ceasefire talks
Photo: The Coalition of the Willing leaders in Kyiv hold a call with Trump (t.me/Ukraine_MFA)
During a meeting of European leaders in Kyiv on May 10, French President Emmanuel Macron made an early-morning call to US President Donald Trump to discuss joint demands for a ceasefire with the Kremlin, according to Politico and the French president.
According to Politico, during a three-hour meeting at the Mariinsky Palace on May 10, Macron proposed a phone call with Trump. The French president called the US leader directly from his mobile phone to provide an update on the talks.
In a video posted on Macron's official social media account, he is seen making the call and saying to the American president: "Hello, Donald!"
En Ukraine, unis. pic.twitter.com/qYTL0gQWFF
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) May 11, 2025
Trump answered the call from Macron despite the early hour in the US — it was not yet 7:00 AM Kyiv time. After hearing the proposals from European leaders, he agreed to support the calls for a ceasefire.
Details of the conversation were shared by two informed officials with Politico.
Later, Trump wrote on social media that it was "a potentially great day for Russia and Ukraine," although he did not mention the phone call.
European leaders' meeting in Kyiv
On May 10, leaders from four European countries arrived in Kyiv: French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
The Coalition of the Willing meeting took place in Kyiv, which focused on securing peace in Ukraine following a ceasefire and the eventual end of the war. As part of the talks, the coalition is considering the deployment of European troops to Ukraine.
During the negotiations in Kyiv, the European leaders held a phone call with US President Donald Trump, according to Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, along with Macron, Merz, Tusk, and Starmer, joined the call. The group reached a unified position: Russia must agree to a full and unconditional ceasefire — on land, in the air, and at sea — for at least 30 days, beginning Monday, May 12.
