Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky is to travel to Paris to attend the re-opening of Notre-Dame cathedral on Saturday, and is expected to hold talks with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, two diplomatic sources said.
Efforts are underway to arrange a meeting between Zelensky and Trump, who is also scheduled to attend the ceremony. However, the sources noted that plans remain tentative and may only be confirmed at the last moment, with any discussions likely to occur discreetly.
On Wednesday, a Ukrainian delegation led by Andriy Yermak, a senior advisor to Zelensky, held discussions in Washington with members of Trump’s incoming administration. According to individuals familiar with the meeting, the delegation met with Trump’s pick for National Security Adviser, Mike Waltz, and Keith Kellogg, his envoy on Ukraine. Details of the discussions were not disclosed.
Ukraine is seeking backing from the new U.S. administration in its ongoing conflict with Russia, which has persisted for nearly three years. Trump has expressed his intention to negotiate a resolution to the war but has yet to provide specifics on how he plans to achieve this.
French President Emmanuel Macron is also scheduled to meet with Trump at the Élysée Palace on Saturday afternoon, followed by a separate meeting with Zelensky. While the French presidency has not confirmed whether Trump and Zelensky will meet during this time, one source suggested that a trilateral discussion could be a possibility.
Should a meeting take place, it would give Zelensky an opportunity to present Ukraine’s case for continued support and gauge Trump’s stance on the conflict. The two leaders last met at the United Nations General Assembly in September.
With France’s government in a state of political uncertainty following its collapse on Thursday, Macron is eager to showcase Paris’s pivotal role in supporting Ukraine and facilitating any future negotiations. By hosting both leaders, he hopes to bolster France’s diplomatic standing on the international stage, according to diplomats.
