Trump to Meet with France’s Macron, Britain’s Starmer Amid Transatlantic Uncertainty
President Donald Trump is scheduled to hold separate talks with French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer this week, The Associated Press reports.
The meetings occur at a time of heightened uncertainty regarding transatlantic relations. The meetings come amidst Trump’s focus on swiftly resolving the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, including formalizing a deal on Ukraine’s rare earth minerals, to which the US aims to gain access to as a payback for substantial support to Kyiv’s war efforts, provided by Washington under former President Joe Biden.
Macron’s visit is set for Monday, coinciding with the three-year anniversary of the war in Ukraine, while Starmer will visit the White House on Thursday.
The planned discussions follow Trump’s criticism of Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky’s ruling and stance regarding negotiations to end the war.
European leaders have also expressed concerns about preliminary talks between US and Russian officials in Saudi Arabia earlier this month, with no Ukrainian nor European representatives included. In addition, another clash may arise at the UN Monday as the US proposes a competing Ukraine resolution, differing from a Ukraine/EU version by not demanding immediate Russian withdrawal.
