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Trump, Macron project unity amid Ukraine-Russia divide

President Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron sought to project unity during a White House meeting Monday, even as cracks widened in the alliance between the U.S. and Europe over the path forward in Ukraine.

© AP

The two met at the Oval Office as the U.S. at the United Nations in New York voted against a resolution condemning Russia as the aggressor on the third anniversary of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

With that vote, the U.S. joined Russia and 16 other countries, including North Korea, Syria and Belarus as well as Israel and Hungary, while standing against longtime allies such as France, Germany, Great Britain and Canada.

Trump, who in the last two weeks has blamed Ukraine for triggering a war against its invader and called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky a dictator, said he would rather not explain the rationale behind the vote when asked about it in the Oval Office, saying it was “self-evident.”

Meanwhile, he and Macron for the most part sought to project a warm and friendly relationship, putting on the smiles amid handshakes and ribbing.

Macron, during a joint press conference, highlighted the need for European nations to shoulder more of a security burden on their own continent, something Trump has long complained about.

He focused much of his remarks on calling for security guarantees for Ukraine and included peacekeeping forces provided by Europe, saying this was an area of agreement with Trump.

“That’s a turning point, in my view,” Macron said, “and that is one of the great areas of progress that we’ve made during this trip and during this discussion.”

Trump, who campaigned on ending the war, pressed for a ceasefire and repeatedly noted his administration is talking not only with Western Europe and Ukraine, but also with Russia.

Trump said Macron “agrees with me on many of the most important issues, chief among them is: This is the right time. It may be the only time [to end the war].”

The possibility that Trump and the U.S. could withdraw support from Ukraine has provoked great worries in Europe, but Macron for the most part in public did not put any disagreements on view Monday.

Read the full report at TheHill.com.

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