French Government: "Macron and Starmer Considering Visit to the US with Zelensky"

Will UK and French Leaders Accompany Zelensky to the White House?
Zelensky Changes Approach to Trump... Receives 'Private Tutoring'

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump are engaged in a heated exchange during a White House meeting on the 28th of last month (local time). Sophie Prima, spokesperson for the French government, stated in a briefing on the 5th (local time) that President Emmanuel Macron is considering visiting the United States together with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and President Zelensky.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is planning to revisit the White House alongside the leaders of the United Kingdom and France. It is reported that President Zelensky even received one-on-one 'private tutoring' from the two leaders to resolve conflicts with former U.S. President Donald Trump.

Sophie Prima, spokesperson for the French government, stated during a briefing on the 5th (local time) that President Emmanuel Macron is considering visiting the United States together with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and President Zelensky.

It is unusual for leaders of multiple countries to visit the White House together. The ?lys?e Palace (the French presidential office) explained that this plan has not yet been finalized. The joint visit plan by these three countries is being pursued amid a situation where the U.S. administration's pro-Russian policies are deepening to a level that completely alters the security landscape of Europe.

As the UK, France, and Ukraine push for a joint visit, it is reported that President Zelensky quickly adjusted his attitude toward President Trump. The New York Times (NYT) reported that President Macron and Prime Minister Starmer advised President Zelensky to modify his approach after returning from the U.S. It is observed that President Zelensky changed his stance toward President Trump after five days of coaching from the two leaders.

Previously, on the 28th of last month, President Zelensky was reportedly insulted and dismissed during a summit with President Trump at the White House. On the same day, President Trump canceled the signing of a mineral agreement between the two countries and on the 3rd of this month, he completely halted military support to Ukraine. The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) announced on the 5th that it had also stopped sharing intelligence with Ukraine, increasing pressure on the country.

President Zelensky has expressed praise and gratitude for U.S. military support in social media posts and statements, and has also indicated his intention to follow President Trump's peace initiative. On X (formerly Twitter), President Zelensky said, "I am ready to work under President Trump's strong leadership to achieve lasting peace." He also expressed thanks, noting that the Javelin anti-tank weapons supported during Trump's first term were a 'game changer' in deterring the Russian invasion.

Oleksandr Merezhko, chairman of the Ukrainian parliament's foreign affairs committee, said in an interview with the NYT, "To borrow Machiavelli's terms, if you are not a lion (a holder of great power) in politics, you must be a fox (a holder of cunning strategy)." He explained, "To gain Trump's support, you must act as if you are under Trump's protection, as if you revere and respect him as a godfather. Trump does not tolerate those who act as his equals."

However, there are also views that even if President Zelensky adopts a new approach alongside President Macron and Prime Minister Starmer, its long-term effectiveness remains uncertain. It is said that it is impossible to take a single step further than the U.S. proposal for a peace settlement. There is pessimism that persuading President Trump to fundamentally accept the positions of Ukraine and Europe is impossible.