Zelenskyy arrives in Paris

Volodymyr Zelenskyy's plane landed in Paris at noon. According to the publication, he will be received by Emmanuel Macron between 4:00 PM and 5:00 PM.

"The Élysée Palace did not provide details about a possible trilateral meeting between the presidents, nor about a potential interview between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy, which would be their first interview since the American elections," the article states.

The reason for the visit to the French capital is the reopening ceremony of the Notre-Dame Cathedral after the fire. The event will be attended by heads of state and government from around 40 countries.

Notably, Donald Trump, the future US president, has already arrived in Paris. This marks his first international trip since the US elections.

Zelenskyy's trip to Paris

It was reported a day earlier that on December 7, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy might attend the opening ceremony of Notre-Dame de Paris in France, where Donald Trump would also be present.

Fire at Notre-Dame Cathedral

The fire at Notre-Dame Cathedral began on April 15, 2019. The fire was extinguished by the morning of April 16. As a result of the fire, the 19th-century spire and part of the roof collapsed.

Firefighters managed to prevent the collapse of the Cathedral just 15-20 minutes before the disaster. The initial cause of the fire was unclear. The Paris Prosecutor's Office immediately ruled out the possibility of an intentional arson attack on the building.

French President Emmanuel Macron announced a national fundraising campaign to restore the cathedral. Initially, it was reported that the restoration could take 15-20 years, but Macron reduced this timeframe to 5 years.

In June 2019, the first service took place in one of the cathedral's chapels after the fire. Restoration work had to be paused due to the coronavirus pandemic.

On November 29, 2024, Emmanuel Macron and his wife visited the cathedral. The completion of the restoration is planned for 2028.