French President Emmanuel Macron is set to meet with US President Donald Trump in Washington on Monday, where he will present “proposals for action” aimed at addressing the “Russian threat” in Europe and ensuring peace in Ukraine. Macron plans to convince Trump to include European leaders in talks between Russia and the US, as the war in Ukraine reaches its third anniversary.
Trump recently caused concern across Europe by expressing his willingness to resume negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, suggesting talks could occur without the involvement of European nations or Ukraine. He has also echoed Russian rhetoric, blaming Ukraine for the war’s onset, raising fears that he may agree to Moscow’s terms.
In response, Macron has worked to align European leaders, hosting two crucial meetings last week. He emphasized that Russia poses an “existential threat” to Europe, urging collective action to contain the threat. “You have a power that has overly armed itself… and continues to arm itself,” he said before departing for Washington. “We don’t know where it will stop, so we must all act to contain it.”
Macron will represent the interests of Europe during his visit, following discussions with leaders across the continent, including Hungary’s pro-Russian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. An advisor to Macron explained that he is bringing proposals based on the common ground reached in these talks. Macron aims to persuade Trump to maintain US support for Ukraine, safeguard its sovereignty, and ensure that European interests are fully considered. He also seeks to underscore that Russia is a major threat to Europe and that Putin is unlikely to honor any ceasefire.
In preparation for his visit, Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer coordinated messaging, with Starmer set to visit the White House later in the week. The UK and France are exploring the possibility of deploying European forces in Ukraine following a peace agreement, to deter future Russian aggression. “The idea is to deploy soldiers to a second line, not the front line, which could involve a multinational operation with non-European contingents,” said a French official close to the talks.
Macron and Starmer are expected to urge Trump to provide “solid security guarantees” for these forces. While the Trump administration has ruled out sending US troops to Ukraine, European leaders hope the US can offer other forms of support, such as logistics or intelligence. In return, European nations are prepared to increase their defense spending as Trump seeks to scale back US involvement in regional security. “It is in his interest to work with the Europeans because Europe has the potential for economic growth and can cooperate with the US,” Macron concluded.
