French President Emmanuel Macron is due to meet US President Donald Trump in Washington on 24 February, making him the first European leader to visit the White House since Trump’s inauguration, according to Politico.
Macron’s visit comes just days before UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is scheduled to arrive in Washington. Starmer will meet with Trump on Thursday, 27 February.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed the meetings during a briefing on Thursday, stating that Trump has been in frequent contact with Macron and that the French president’s visit follows his recent convening of European leaders to discuss the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Macron’s visit comes amid growing concerns among Western leaders over Trump’s decision to negotiate directly with Russia to end the war in Ukraine. The move risks sidelining Kyiv and European allies from the peace process.
During a live Q&A on social media on Thursday, Macron outlined his goals for the meeting, emphasising the need to convince Trump that such negotiations could be perceived as capitulating to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s demands.
The situation is worrying, but not because President Trump wants to negotiate. We have to make him understand that his interests are the same as ours.
Macron added that he plans to caution Trump against appearing weak in the face of Putin, particularly as the US prepares to address broader geopolitical challenges, including relations with China and Iran.
I’m going to tell him that he can’t be weak in the face of Putin when he’ll have to face China next. That’s not you, it’s not your trademark, it’s not in your interest. It would be a huge strategic mistake.
Macron’s visit underscores the urgency among European leaders to engage with the Trump administration and influence its approach to critical international issues. The French president’s efforts to align US and European interests reflect the broader challenge of maintaining transatlantic unity in the face of shifting US priorities.
