French President Emmanuel Macron is scheduled to meet US president-elect Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday during the reopening ceremony of Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Elysée presidential palace confirmed on Friday.
According to the Elysée, Macron will first hold a bilateral meeting with Trump, followed by talks with Zelensky. However, no joint meeting involving the three leaders has been announced, and a direct meeting between Trump and Zelensky remains unconfirmed.
“The president of Ukraine will attend the celebrations on the occasion of the restoration of the cathedral of Notre-Dame. He will meet with President (Emmanuel) Macron,” a Ukrainian government source told reporters. The source added, “Other meetings are also possible, in particular with president-elect Donald Trump, who will also attend the event.”
Trump and Zelensky are among 40 world leaders on the VIP guestlist for the Notre-Dame ceremony, which has become a significant diplomatic event. Many leaders aim to establish ties with Trump before his inauguration on January 20.
During his campaign, Trump pledged to broker a peace deal to end the Ukraine war, claiming he could achieve it in “one day.” US weapon supplies remain critical to Kyiv’s resistance against the Russian invasion.
Meanwhile, Zelensky’s government continues to request additional arms from the outgoing administration of President Joe Biden, particularly as Ukrainian forces face mounting pressure from Russia’s intensified pre-winter offensive.
On Friday, Moscow announced its forces had captured villages near Pokrovsk and Kurakhove, advancing in two strategic eastern regions.
Analysts suggest that the coming months will be pivotal as both sides vie for advantage ahead of anticipated peace talks led by Trump. Concerns have grown in Ukraine about potential territorial concessions following Trump’s appointment of retired general Keith Kellogg, a critic of US military aid, as his Ukraine envoy.
The Biden administration has recently approved a $725 million military aid package for Ukraine, announced on Monday.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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