News Feed

'There is an aggressor, which is Russia,' says Macron after Zelensky-Trump clash

2 min read
'There is an aggressor, which is Russia,' says Macron after Zelensky-Trump clash
French President Emmanuel Macron talks during the press conference with the media at the end of the EU Summit in Brussels on Feb. 1, 2024. (Pier Marco Tacca/Getty Images)

French President Emmanuel Macron emphasized that Russia is the aggressor in its war against Ukraine following a heated exchange between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Feb. 28.

"There is an aggressor, which is Russia, and an attacked people, which is Ukraine," Macron told reporters in Portugal.

He emphasized that supporting Ukraine and sanctioning Russia was the right decision three years ago and remains so today.

"We must thank all those who helped, and we must respect those who have been fighting since the beginning," he added.

Zelensky met Trump in the Oval Office as the two leaders were expected to sign a framework deal on Ukraine's natural resources.

His visit followed weeks of tense negotiations. Ukraine rejected two initial draft proposals, arguing that they imposed one-sided obligations on Kyiv without security commitments from Washington.

The meeting ended without a deal after a 45-minute press briefing between Zelensky and Trump turned heated over U.S. aid to Ukraine and the conditions of a potential peace deal with Russia.

Following the talks, Trump said that Zelensky "is not ready for peace" and accused him of disrespecting the U.S. in the Oval Office.

"He can come back when he is ready for peace," Trump posted on Truth Social.

Zelensky left the White House early without signing a mineral deal with the United States following a heated exchange with Trump.

Macron's trip to Portugal followed a visit to Washington, where he sought to convince Trump to commit to post-war security guarantees for Ukraine.

The French president has reportedly failed to receive any clear commitments from Trump, with an undisclosed EU official describing the trip as a "waste of time" in comments for Politico.

The issue of security guarantees has been linked to the potential deployment of a European-led peacekeeping force in Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire.

The Washington Post reported on Feb. 17 that up to 30,000 European troops could be sent to Ukraine to monitor a ceasefire.

Polish PM Tusk says Ukraine ‘not alone’ after Trump-Zelensky clash
“Dear Volodymyr Zelensky, dear Ukrainian friends, you are not alone,” Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk wrote on X.
Article image
Avatar
Tim Zadorozhnyy

News Editor

Tim Zadorozhnyy is a news editor at The Kyiv Independent. Based in Warsaw, he is pursuing studies in International Relations, focusing on European Studies. Tim began his career at a local television channel in Odesa. After moving to Warsaw, he joined the Belarusian opposition media outlet NEXTA, starting as a news anchor and later advancing to the position of managing editor.

Read more
News Feed
Video

Since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, war has become a daily reality for thousands of Ukrainian children. Some Ukrainian military units, such as the Azov Brigade, offer boot camps for teenagers to teach them the basics of self-defense, first aid, dry firing, and other survival skills — helping them prepare for both the realities of today and the uncertainties of the future.

Show More