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President-elect Trump held a trilateral meeting on Saturday in Paris with French President Emmanuel Macron and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and discussed the war in Ukraine and ways to end it.
Why it matters: This is the first time Trump has met with Zelensky since the president-elect’s victory in the election.
- The meeting took place as Trump is getting ready to assume office in six weeks and start a diplomatic process to end the war between Russia and Ukraine.
Driving the news: Trump announced last week that he is appointing retired General Keith Kellogg as his envoy for Ukraine and Russia diplomacy.
- Zelensky’s chief of staff Andriy Yermak visited Washington earlier this week and met with Kellogg.
- Yermak also met Vice President-elect JD Vance and Trump’s national security adviser Mike Waltz.
Behind the scenes: Macron has worked in recent days to convince Trump, who is visiting Paris to attend the reopening of the Notre-Dame cathedral, to hold the joint meeting with Zelensky, two sources said.
- One source said that at the beginning Trump was reluctant to hold the meeting, but eventually agreed.
- Another source familiar with the meeting said it lasted 45 minutes and was “good and fruitful.” The source also said the final decision to hold the trilateral meeting was taken shortly before.
What they are saying: Zelensky said the meeting was “good and productive” and added they discussed the situation on the ground and “a just peace” and agreed to continue working together and keep in contact.
- “President Trump is, as always, resolute…we all want this war to end as soon as possible and in a just way. Peace through strength is possible”, Zelensky wrote on X.
Go deeper: Scoop: Elon Musk joined Trump’s call with Zelensky