President Donald Trump hosted French President Emmanuel Macron at the White House on Monday, with Russia and Ukraine atop the agenda as the world marks three years since Vladimir Putin’s invasion.
Trump said he believed the war could end “soon” as he and Macron sat for a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office.
“I think we could end it within weeks — if we’re smart,” Trump told reporters. “If we’re not smart, it’ll keep going and we’ll keep losing.”
The two leaders also held a news conference in the East Room, where they were peppered with additional questions about the status of peace talks. Macron repeatedly emphasized the need for security guarantees as part of any agreement to stop the hostilities, as has Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
“This peace must not mean a surrender of Ukraine,” Macron said at the news conference. “It must not mean a ceasefire without guarantees. This peace must allow for Ukrainian sovereignty and allow Ukraine to negotiate with other stakeholders regarding the issues that affect it. But is also a country in which we need to shoulder our responsibility so that we ensure security and stability for Ukraine and for the entire region. And for us Europeans this is an existential issue.”
President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron attend a press conference at the White House in Washington, Feb. 24, 2025.
Brian Snyder/Reuters
Trump, however, didn’t say much on the issue during Monday’s news conference.
Earlier in the day, Trump said he supported European peacemakers going into Ukraine after the war and said Russian President Vladimir Putin accepts that as well.
Though when asked whether the U.S. would support European troops stationed in Ukraine, Trump vaguely replied, “We’re going to have a backing of some kind.”
President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron hold a joint press conference in the East Room to the White House in Washington, Feb. 24, 2025.
Roberto Schmidt/AFP via Getty Images
Trump also said on Monday he will soon meet with Zelenskyy soon, signaling the U.S. and Ukraine were “close” to a deal giving the U.S. access to profits from Ukraine’s valuable mineral resources and that Zelenskyy would come to Washington to sign it. Trump has demanded the access as a way for Ukraine to pay back U.S. aid during the war.
“I will be meeting with President Zelenskyy. In fact, he may come this week or next week to sign the agreement,” Trump said.
Trump said he would also meet with Putin, but did not say when. Trump said he is having serious discussions with Russia about “economic development deals” in addition to ending the war in Ukraine but did not elaborate on what exactly those deals could look like.
The U.S. president was asked directly if he would call Putin a “dictator” — as he did with Zelenskyy last week. Trump notably declined to do so.
“I don’t use those words lightly,” Trump responded. “I think we’re going to see how it all works out.”
President Donald Trump meets with French President Emmanuel Macron in the Oval Office at the White House, Feb. 24, 2025, in Washington.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
French President Emmanuel Macron arrives at the West Wing ahead of meetings with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Feb. 24, 2025 in Washington.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
The Trump administration’s increased pressure on Ukraine to resolve the conflict, with Trump blasting Zelenskyy’s leadership and falsely blaming Ukraine for Russia’s ongoing assault. Trump escalated his criticism last week, when he said Ukraine has “no cards” to play as negotiations unfold.
Meanwhile, Trump said he’s had “good talks” with Putin. Trump has not appeared to make any demands of Russia as negotiations unfold, while he’s ruled out NATO membership and a return to Ukraine’s 2014 borders.
The posture marks a seismic shift in U.S. foreign policy, and comes as the Trump administration brandishes an “America First” agenda that could upend traditional transatlantic alliances.
Macron convened European leaders for emergency meetings on Ukraine in Paris last week as top U.S. officials held talks with Russian counterparts in Saudi Arabia without Ukraine and Europe.
Trump continued to air grievances with what he claims is a unfair disconnect between European and U.S. contributions toward Ukraine. He again falsely claimed the U.S. has given Ukraine $350 billion, while the Kiel Institute for the World Economy estimates that the U.S. has committed about $119 billion in military, financial and humanitarian assistance.
Trump also said Europe was getting paid back 60% of what they funded for the war, leading Macron to push back.
“No, in fact, to be frank, we paid. We paid 60% of the total effort: it was through, like the U.S., loans, guarantees, grants,” Macron said. “And we provided real money, to be clear.”
ABC News’ Michelle Stoddart, Molly Nagle and Fritz Farrow contributed to this report.
