President Volodymyr Zelensky met with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris for a trilateral meeting on Dec. 7, as world leaders visited France for the reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral.
The three leaders reportedly spoke for about 35 minute at the Elysee Palace. Zelensky praised the meeting as "productive and meaningful" in a post on social media.
"President Trump is, as always, resolute," Zelensky said. "I thank him. I also extend my gratitude to Emmanuel (Macron) for organizing this important meeting."
The three leaders "spoke about our people, the situation on the ground, and a just peace," Zelensky said, without providing further details.
The previously unannounced meeting comes ahead of Trump's inauguration on Jan. 20. It also marks the first in-person encounter between Zelensky and Trump since Trump won the U.S. presidential election in November.
While Trump has pledged to get the U.S. "out" of Russia's war and negotiate a quick peace deal, Ukrainian officials have urged the president-elect to maintain support and adopt a "peace through strength" approach in dealings with Russia — sentiments that Zelensky echoed in his statement following the meeting.
"Peace through strength is possible," Zelensky wrote. "We all want this war to end as soon as possible and in a just way."
After the meeting, Trump also took to social media, writing that "Zelensky and Ukraine would like to make a deal and stop the madness ... There should be an immediate ceasefire, and negotiations should begin."
"Too many lives are being so needlessly wasted, too many families destroyed, and if it keeps going, it can turn into something much bigger, and far worse," he wrote.
Zelensky and Trump previously met on Sept. 27 in New York, while Trump was still the Republican nominee for president. Zelensky used the occasion to present his five-part victory plan.
Two of the ideas in the plan were explicitly prepared for Trump, according to the Financial Times (FT).
The leaders then held a phone call on Nov. 7 after Trump won the U.S. election. Zelensky congratulated Trump on his victory during the call.
A Ukrainian delegation, led by Presidential Office head Andriy Yermak, also met with Vice President-elect JD Vance and other aides to Trump in Washington on Dec. 4.
About 50 heads of state and government convened for the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral, which has been under reconstruction since 2019 due to a fire.
Dmytro Basmat
(Updated: )
